The United States Senate has voted to re-authorise a contentious monitoring program widely utilised by US intelligence agencies abroad but condemned by civil rights groups.
Senators passed the bill 60-34 just after midnight, Friday and the White House stated that President Joe Biden will “swiftly sign the bill into law”.
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, (FISA) enables US intelligence agencies to conduct electronic surveillance without seeking a judicial warrant.
In particular, it allows them to sweep up communications, including phone calls and emails, of non-Americans anywhere outside of US territory. That includes communications from US citizens to foreigners targeted for monitoring.
Its reauthorisation secures what supporters call a key element of US foreign intelligence gathering.
“Democrats and Republicans came together and did the right thing for our country’s safety,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Though the spy programme was technically set to expire at midnight, Biden’s administration had said it expected its authority to collect intelligence and to remain operational for at least another year.
FISA has attracted criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, who argue it violates Americans’ constitutional right to privacy.
The bill was blocked three times in the past five months by House Republicans bucking their party, before passing last week by a 273-147 vote when its duration was shortened from five years to two years.
