Republican Senators Urge Administration to Address Potential Gap in Section 702 Surveillance Authority

Senators Tom Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Charles Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote to Secretary of State and national security adviser Marco Rubio on Saturday urging the administration to plan for a possible lapse of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which is set to expire on June 12. The lawmakers said bipartisan talks to renew the authority had stalled after Democrats declined to support a renewal, citing concerns about President Trump’s recent appointment of Bill Pulte to oversee intelligence agencies.

In the letter, the senators asked the administration to identify intelligence targets that could be affected, consider alternative legal authorities for continued collection, and, if necessary, draft an executive order to fill any gap created by the expiration. The request was first reported by Punchbowl News.