Senate passes 10-day extension of federal surveillance powers without debate

The Senate quietly extended a powerful surveillance authority on Friday, passing a 10-day renewal of a warrantless intelligence program without debate or dissent. The move, which followed a chaotic session in the House, keeps the tool active just past the end of the month and buys lawmakers a narrow window to resolve deeper disagreements over privacy and oversight.

The authority, rooted in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), allows U.S. spy agencies to collect communications from non-Americans located overseas without a warrant. But it has long drawn criticism because it can incidentally capture messages involving Americans, raising concerns about unchecked surveillance.

Earlier in the week, a bipartisan effort to renew the program for several years collapsed in the House after hardline conservatives and privacy-focused liberals both rejected the compromise. That left leadership scrambling to avoid a lapse, which could have disrupted intelligence operations and raised national security alarms.

The short-term patch was drafted and passed quickly, with the House approving it late Thursday and the Senate following suit Friday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune brought the measure to the floor with minimal discussion, and it passed by unanimous consent-meaning no senator objected, though that doesn't necessarily reflect broad support.

Now, Congress has until April 30 to hammer out a longer-term agreement. The clock is ticking, and the divisions remain sharp. Some Republicans argue the program is essential for tracking terrorists and foreign adversaries. Some Democrats and libertarian-leaning Republicans worry it gives the government too much power to snoop on Americans without a warrant.

The Biden administration has urged Congress to act, warning that a prolonged lapse could harm U.S. intelligence capabilities. But civil liberties groups say the current system lacks sufficient safeguards and want reforms, such as requiring warrants before searching data collected on Americans.

With both parties split and election-year pressures mounting, the path forward is uncertain. The 10-day extension keeps the lights on, but the debate over how much surveillance power the government should have is far from over.