US Congress passes 45-day extension of law granting warrantless spying powers

The US Congress on Thursday approved the short-term extension of a controversial law that grants American intelligence agencies warrantless spying powers, averting its expiration hours before a midnight deadline and buying lawmakers time to negotiate a longer-term deal.

The Senate unanimously passed legislation to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by 45 days, with the House of Representatives later approving the measure in a 261-111 vote. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The authority had been set to expire at 12 a.m. Friday after lawmakers previously delayed the deadline by 10 days.

The legislation renews Section 702 of the FISA, which allows US intelligence agencies to collect, without a warrant, communications of non-US persons located abroad for foreign intelligence purposes. While the program targets foreigners, it can also incidentally capture communications involving Americans.

The authority has long been debated in Congress, with critics warning that it could enable warrantless surveillance affecting Americans.