Mike Johnson slams brakes on key vote amid GOP rebellion over warrantless spying

With just a month until a key Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act spying power expires, US House Speaker Mike Johnson was planning to try to push through reauthorization legislation next week, but the Louisiana Republican leader is now reportedly delaying the vote while “still dealing with a dozen or so Republican members who want reforms.”

Privacy advocates and lawmakers across the political spectrum have long called for reforms to FISA’s Section 702, which empowers the US government to surveil electronic communications of noncitizens located outside the United States to acquire foreign intelligence information, without a warrant.

Citing three unnamed sources familiar with discussions in the House of Representatives, Politico reported Friday that “with a GOP hard-liner revolt over warrantless surveillance threatening to tank the legislation,” Johnson “will instead work through the remaining issues over the upcoming two-week recess and try to put the extension on the floor the week of April 14.”

Welcoming the development, Demand Progress executive director Sean Vitka said in a statement that “Speaker Johnson is backing away from his plan to ram through a FISA reauthorization vote next week because he knows his members don’t want it and the American people don’t want it.”

“Republicans, Democrats, and independents all overwhelmingly want Congress to take serious action to protect privacy—in particular against AI and data brokers—and oppose any efforts to rubber-stamp the government’s warrantless mass surveillance powers as is,” Vitka continued.

“Before any vote on reauthorizing FISA,” he added, “Congress must first enact real protections for Americans’ privacy, in particular by closing the data broker loophole to prevent the government from circumventing the courts and independent oversight through the purchase of Americans’ private location, web browsing, and other sensitive information.”

Various bills, including the bipartisan Security and Freedom Enhancement (SAFE) Act introduced last month by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), would close the loophole that agencies use to buy their way around the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, which is supposed to protect Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Demand Progress has endorsed that bill, and on Thursday partnered with the Project On Government Oversight and over 130 other organizations to advocate for these critical changes.

Why it matters: This delay in the FISA reauthorization vote highlights the growing bipartisan concern over privacy rights and the need for significant reforms in surveillance practices. As public outcry increases, lawmakers are feeling the pressure to act to protect civil liberties.

What to watch:

• Upcoming discussions among GOP members regarding potential reforms to FISA.
• Any new proposals that may emerge from the bipartisan push for privacy protection.
• The impact of public opinion on the final vote outcome.

Key figures:

• Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House — leading the charge on FISA reauthorization amidst internal party conflict.

Source credibility: Raw Story is known for its progressive stance and investigative reporting, focusing on accountability in politics.

Published: March 20, 2026 8:35 PM

Source: Raw Story — https://go.noligarchy.us/VbSMvJ