A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers from both ends of the political spectrum united on a bill Tuesday to impose severe limits on the intelligence community’s ability to spy on foreign targets, saying Americans need more assurances they’re not being ensnared.
The bill, sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, and Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, as well as Republicans and Democrats in the House, would force the government to obtain a warrant before searching communications of people in the U.S. under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Those whose information is going to be used against them would have to be notified.
The new bill would also require more disclosure about use of Section 702, which allows the government to target communications of non-U.S. citizens located overseas, but which allows Americans’ communications to be scooped up if they’re talking with targets. Some Americans — including former top Trump national security aide Michael Flynn — have had those communications “unmasked” and leaked to their detriment, unsettling lawmakers.
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