Biden Boosts Us Agencies’ Surveillance Authority With “Terrifying” Bill Signing

Supporters of the controversial bill argue that it’s crucial for counter-terrorism, while critics believe it will severely harm the privacy of U.S. citizens.

U.S. President Joe Biden has approved a controversial bill that enhances surveillance powers for U.S. government agencies, sparking concerns about potential privacy infringements for American citizens.

On April 20, the U.S. Senate passed legislation by a vote of 60–34 to reauthorize, extend, and amend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for another two years. President Biden signed it into law the following day.

Proponents of the bill, including President Biden and numerous bipartisan members of Congress, claim the legislation is vital for counter-terrorism and safeguarding U.S. national security interests.

“Allowing FISA to expire would have been dangerous. It’s an important part of our national security toolkit and helps law enforcement stop terrorist attacks, drug trafficking, and violent extremism,” said Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, speaking on the Senate floor.

Critics of the bill contend that reauthorizing and amending FISA will mark a new era of surveillance, granting extensive spying powers to government agencies like the National Security Agency (NSA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

In an April 20 post on X, Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, criticized members who supported the bill, accusing them of “selling out American civil liberties.”

“The provision effectively grants the NSA access to the communications equipment of almost any U.S. business, plus huge numbers of organizations and individuals. It’s a gift to any president who may wish to spy on political enemies, journalists, ideological opponents,” wrote Goitein.

Currently, U.S. agencies like the NSA can compel internet service providers such as Google and Verizon to hand over sensitive data related to their surveillance targets.

With President Biden’s signature, the new law allows the U.S. government to extend its surveillance powers, enabling it to require a wide range of companies and individuals offering internet-related services to assist with surveillance activities.

Despite strong resistance from privacy-focused Republicans and Democrats, the bill passed through the House of Representatives on April 13. An amendment that proposed requiring a warrant for all internet-based surveillance was narrowly defeated in the House.

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden criticized the reauthorization of FISA Section 702, stating that it signaled a significant loss of American values and labeled the legislation unconstitutional.

On April 13, Senator Ron Wyden described the bill as one of the most “dramatic and terrifying expansions of government surveillance authority in history.”

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