House Intelligence Committee Proposes Reforms to FISA's Section 702

The proposed changes aim to address concerns of abuse by the FBI and protect civil liberties, while maintaining the program's role in national security.

The U.S. House Intelligence Committee has proposed a series of reforms to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a key surveillance tool that allows the U.S. government to monitor specific foreign nationals outside the country without a warrant.
The proposed reforms include requiring the FBI to obtain a 'probable cause warrant' before searching the database for information related to domestic crimes, and enhancing penalties for federal employees who violate FISA procedures.
The report acknowledges that while Section 702 has been a critical part of U.S. defense since the 9/11 attacks, it has also been 'abused by those who swore to support and defend the American people—in particular, the FBI.'
Critics of the program, including allies of former President Trump, have claimed it encroaches on Americans’ civil liberties and was used to improperly spy on the Trump 2016 campaign.
The report disputes these accusations, stating that Section 702 is 'individualized and extremely limited' to foreigners who possess or communicate specific types of foreign intelligence information.