Spy-law extension at risk after Senate votes against launching debate

The Senate voted against advancing a long-term reauthorization of a key surveillance power Friday, raising the odds that Congress could need another short-term patch — or let the spy law lapse entirely.

Senators voted 52-47 against taking up a House-passed three-year deal, which leaders planned to use as a vehicle for a Senate-forged agreement that was circulated earlier this week.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) had been involved in negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement that could pick up support from enough Democrats. But the prospects for a deal evaporated earlier this week after President Donald Trump named close political ally Bill Pulte to be acting director of national intelligence.

Democrats had warned Pulte could “weaponize” the intelligence community against Trump’s perceived political enemies. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat who voted to advance the surveillance bill.

Republican Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Rick Scott of Florida and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama voted against taking up the extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which is meant to target foreigners overseas.

Several of the GOP opponents are longstanding surveillance skeptics and are some of the loudest voices within the conference for requiring a warrant before searching the foreign-collected data for Americans.

The Senate is expected to try again to move its agreement next week. Congress has until June 12 to reauthorize the program or pass another short-term punt.

“We’re going to need some help from Democrats obviously, and I think it’s a terribly irresponsible position that they’ve taken, but we’ll find out if that changes,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Friday.