President Trump Urges Congress to Link FISA Extension With Voter ID Bill
President Trump called on Congress over the weekend to pass the SAVE America Act alongside any renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The demand adds a new condition to already stalled negotiations over the surveillance program.
Washington ExaminerPresident Trump urged Congress over the weekend to pass the SAVE America Act together with any extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He stated he would oppose an extension that does not include the voter identification measure.
The pairing introduces a new requirement into talks that had already missed a Friday deadline. Earlier negotiations collapsed after Democrats withheld support for a bipartisan deal tied to the acting director of national intelligence appointment.
President Trump later nominated U.S.
Attorney Jay Clayton to serve as permanent director of national intelligence. Democrats largely welcomed the nomination, and Sen. Mark Warner is scheduled to meet with Clayton on Tuesday. Officials said the nomination has created some optimism about reaching a reauthorization agreement.
President Trump’s insistence on attaching the SAVE America Act has renewed concerns about whether an extension can advance. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he spoke with the president about the issue but remains unsure whether the two measures can be separated.
Thune told reporters Monday he hopes the president will sign a FISA extension if one reaches his desk. Four Senate Republicans opposed an earlier effort to include the voter ID bill in an immigration funding measure this month. ” Another aide stated Democrats made a conscious decision to shut down the surveillance tool and should return to the bipartisan deal they previously supported.
