GOP hardliners blocked House Republicans’ late-night push to extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), stalling a five-year renewal of key surveillance powers.
The proposal to reauthorize also included new warrant requirements and tougher criminal penalties for misuse of FISA authorities, but lawmakers failed to reach a consensus. (RELATED: ‘Unprecedented Mass Surveillance’: Bipartisan Senators Warn Of Privacy Threat Tied To FISA Renewal)
In a last-minute move, the House instead passed a short-term extension at 2:09 a.m. by unanimous consent, pushing the deadline to April 30 after earlier procedural votes on the broader package collapsed.
The temporary extension gives GOP leaders more time to negotiate, as internal divisions continue to stall progress on a longer-term solution ahead of the program’s looming expiration.
FISA is delayed. Cameo by @nicksortor @laurenboebert pic.twitter.com/u6gZq6ZBrM
— Tim Burchett (@timburchett) April 17, 2026
Despite pushback from conservatives, Speaker Mike Johnson has been weighing options to advance an 18-month extension of Section 702 — the contentious provision that allows warrantless surveillance of foreign targets and can incidentally collect Americans’ communications.
The broader proposal sought to impose new guardrails on that authority, including a ban on intentionally targeting U.S. citizens without a warrant.
Under the plan, federal agencies would need to secure a warrant or court order backed by probable cause before targeting a U.S. person, using existing FISA authorities or standard federal criminal procedures.
It also aimed to raise the bar for the FBI’s use of raw Section 702 data involving Americans, requiring that any related national security investigation meet a probable cause standard.
The failed push comes after House Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to delay a vote earlier in the week, as resistance within his conference continued to grow. (RELATED: Brutal Political Battle Awaits The GOP In Not-So-Distant Future)
House GOP leaders had originally scheduled a debate and procedural vote on FISA for Wednesday afternoon but ultimately pulled it, according to an ABC News report.
Any long-term extension will also need to clear the Senate, adding another layer of uncertainty.
Johnson is preparing to try again, with a procedural vote expected Thursday afternoon and a potential final vote later in the day.
Johnson said Wednesday that negotiators needed “a few more hours” to finalize a deal, as conservatives continue to raise concerns about U.S. citizens potentially being caught up in government surveillance, according to a Wednesday Politico report.
I just viewed 2 Top Secret FISA docs.
1) FISA Court opinion that raises serious concerns about FBI implementation of FISA 702.
2) letter by Senator Wyden describing a secret government interpretation of FISA law.
The Constitution requires I vote No on FISA 702 reauthorization.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 16, 2026
Behind closed doors, talks between White House officials and House GOP hardliners are still ongoing, with no deal in place. Sources familiar with the negotiations say an agreement is more likely by Friday — raising the possibility Johnson could once again delay action ahead of the looming Monday expiration.
The speaker is under mounting pressure to unify Republicans, particularly as President Donald Trump pushes for an 18-month extension of Section 702. (RELATED: Congress Votes To Extend FBI Warrantless Surveillance Tool Without Reforming It)
Trump has publicly urged Republicans to fall in line, even hosting a group of conservative holdouts at the White House on Tuesday night in an effort to break the stalemate, according to ABC News.
“I am asking Republicans to UNIFY, and vote together on the test vote to bring a clean Bill to the floor. We need to stick together when this Bill comes before the House Rules Committee today to keep it CLEAN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social post on Wednesday.
“I am working very hard with our Great Speaker, Mike Johnson, along with Chairman Jim Jordan and Chairman Rick Crawford, to get a clean extension of FISA 702 through the House of Representatives this week…” – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/p0eM201xGr
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 14, 2026
Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe also addressed House Republicans during a closed-door meeting, advocating for a clean extension of the program.
But hardline conservatives — who are demanding reforms such as a warrant requirement — left the meeting unconvinced, signaling the divide within the GOP remains unresolved.
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