Senators Urge Secretary of State Rubio to Address Potential Gap in Intelligence Collection as FISA 702 Nears Expiration
Senators Tom Cotton and Chuck Grassley have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to plan for a possible shortfall in foreign intelligence gathering if the Section 702 provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act lapse, while Democrats block renewal over the appointment of an acting director.
Senators Tom Cotton and Chuck Grassley sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to identify intelligence targets that could be affected if the warrantless surveillance authority under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) expires. The lawmakers asked Rubio to consider "lawful and constitutional" alternatives for gathering information on those targets.
The deadline for a short-term extension of the FISA 702 provisions is June 12, and congressional Democrats have indicated they will not support a renewal while Bill Pulte remains the acting director of national intelligence. Critics cite Pulte’s lack of intelligence experience and the absence of a required security clearance.
The Trump administration has defended the surveillance tool as essential to national security, arguing that it was created after the September 11 attacks to collect vital foreign intelligence without a warrant. Opponents raise concerns about civil‑liberties violations.
Congress has repeatedly passed temporary extensions to provide lawmakers time to negotiate a full renewal, which would also require a 60‑vote threshold in the Senate to advance. If the warrantless authority lapses, intelligence agencies would still have access to other surveillance mechanisms, including warrant‑based provisions under Title 1 of FISA.
