A bill to amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and for other purposes.
- Sponsor
- Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
- Committees
- Intelligence (Select) Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Jun 11, 2026
Bottom line
This bill enacts a very short, temporary extension of key foreign intelligence surveillance authorities, preventing their immediate expiration and allowing for continued congressional debate.
What it actually does
This bill amends the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the sunset date for Title VII authorities of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA), specifically Section 702, by seven days. The expiration date is moved from June 12, 2026, to June 19, 2026, preventing a lapse in these foreign intelligence surveillance authorities while Congress continues to deliberate on a longer-term solution.
Proponents argue
Proponents argue that this brief extension is absolutely necessary to prevent a critical lapse in national security surveillance capabilities, allowing intelligence agencies to continue vital foreign intelligence collection without interruption. They emphasize that even a short lapse could create dangerous intelligence gaps, hindering efforts to protect the nation from foreign adversaries and terrorist threats.
Opponents contend
Opponents, while potentially acknowledging the need for some form of intelligence collection, would likely view this short extension as a tactic to delay meaningful reform or a robust public debate on FISA Section 702. They might contend that such stop-gap measures perpetuate concerns about civil liberties and privacy by avoiding comprehensive oversight and necessary programmatic changes.
The bill text is extremely short and can be read in under a minute, making it highly accessible for immediate understanding of its direct action.
Section 1(a)
Extension of FISA Section 702 Authorities
This provision modifies Section 403(b) of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which dictates the expiration of Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Specifically, it changes the repeal date from June 12, 2026, to June 19, 2026. This action grants a one-week extension to the government's authority to conduct surveillance on non-U.S. persons located outside the United States for foreign intelligence purposes, thereby preventing a temporary lapse in these powers.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that this extension is crucial to avoid a lapse in critical foreign intelligence collection, which is vital for national security and protecting against terrorist threats, cyberattacks, and espionage. They contend that even a few days without these authorities could create dangerous intelligence gaps and compromise ongoing operations.
Critics contend
Critics of FISA Section 702, while not necessarily opposing this specific short-term extension to prevent a lapse, would argue that it delays necessary reforms to protect civil liberties and privacy. They contend that the program needs more robust oversight, greater transparency, and stricter limitations on the querying of U.S. person data.
Tradeoffs
The bill navigates the tension between maintaining continuous foreign intelligence collection capabilities for national security and addressing concerns about civil liberties and privacy associated with Section 702, albeit by punting the larger, more complex debate for a week. It prioritizes operational continuity over immediate reform.