Left: Former President Donald Trump. Right: House Speaker Mike Johnson (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images | Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
But conservative critics of Section 702 have argued the bill does not go far enough to safeguard Americans' data.
Among the GOP lawmakers who blocked the bill were: House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, R-Va.; Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.; Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.; Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La.; Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas; and Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.; among others.
The fight has put Johnson in a difficult spot between the House Judiciary Committee and its allies, and the U.S. intelligence community and national security hawks in Congress. The former have cast Section 702 as a tool of exploitation and privacy infringement, while the latter have maintained it's a narrowly-focused tool critical to preventing terror attacks.
Section 702 is a provision that allows the federal government to conduct warrantless surveillance of a foreign national outside the U.S. if they’re suspected of ties to terrorism — even if the person on the other end of the communications is an American citizen.
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Former President Trump urged lawmakers to ‘KILL FISA’ (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Multiple sources told Fox News Digital that Johnson spoke out against the amendment during a closed-door meeting with fellow House Republicans on Wednesday – spurring anger from GOP hardliners.
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"Unfortunately, I think the speaker is coming forward, reversing his personal position 180 degrees and weighing in on the Intel side. He’s, unfortunately, I think, surrendered on that notion of neutrality," Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., told reporters.
As it stands, FISA Section 702 will expire on April 19 if Congress does not act.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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