Trump officials fail to win over GOP skeptics on FISA
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President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson depart the annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol on March 17. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
House Speaker Mike Johnson is running into early resistance from his right flank as he tries to move a clean reauthorization of a key U.S. surveillance tool next week.
Why it matters: Johnson may not have the votes to pass a clean extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — a must-pass bill the White House is pressing to renew.
- GOP leaders and the Trump administration are pushing for a clean reauthorization.
- But conservatives are demanding changes, putting Johnson in a familiar bind when it comes to getting the rule passed.
- "The administration has been very clear how important this process is to keeping Americans safe at home. It's why they've requested the renewal," Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said.
Driving the news: A classified briefing from Trump administration officials to lawmakers on Wednesday failed to win over key skeptics.
- "I hope there's some room for negotiating a couple of smaller reforms into it," House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md) said. Harris was non-committal about supporting the rule.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) flatly told Axios "no," the briefing did nothing to sway her from her opposition.
- "There's folks who still have a lot of questions that I'm not sure all got answered," Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.), a Freedom Caucus member, told Axios.
- Concerns around Fourth Amendment protections are a central issue for conservatives.
State of play: Johnson is eyeing a vote next week, but members say the rule could be in jeopardy.
- FISA is expected to draw bipartisan support on final passage, but Democrats are unlikely to help Johnson pass the rule.
Further complicating things: The SAVE America Act.
- Some Republicans are demanding the addition of the SAVE Act — the GOP's election bill — as a condition of their support for the rule.
- Scalise said it has not been determined whether amendments would be allowed.
- Adding the SAVE America Act would all but ensure the must-pass bill's failure in the Senate, where Republicans need Democratic support.
Yes, but: House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a longtime FISA critic, said he supports a short-term clean extension.
- "That's what the commander in chief wants. We've got all the reforms that have had a huge impact," Jordan said, referencing changes that were enacted during the 2024 reauthorization.
- "It's short-term. And while we're in a military operation in Iran, you put that all together, you feel like, can we do something short-term? Yeah."
The intrigue: If it becomes clear that GOP members won't budge on their opposition to the rule, Republican leaders could opt to move the bill under suspension, which would require two-thirds support.
- Scalise told Axios they haven't made that decision yet, and it's not clear whether enough Democratic support is there.
