Senate fails to extend key surveillance program as deadline nears

Politics Senate fails to extend FISA surveillance program as deadline nears, with 7 Republicans joining Democrats June 5, 2026 / 12:55 PM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Washington — The Senate on Friday blocked an extension of a key warrantless surveillance program used by U.S. intelligence agencies, meaning Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act will expire on June 12 without further intervention. Seven Republicans joined Democrats in the 47-52 vote against a procedural motion that would have set up a final vote on the extension next week. The vote comes amid concerns over President Trump's controversial pick of federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence.But a key objection from Republicans who blocked the reauthorization is that the law can be used to spy on Americans without a warrant. The seven Republicans who voted with Democrats were Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Rick Scott of Florida, John Kennedy of Louisiana and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat who voted to move ahead with the reauthorization vote. "No warrant to protect Americans? No FISA," Lee posted on X. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said following the vote that the Senate "will take another run at it" next week but that Democrats' opposition is a "terribly irresponsible position," even though some of the conservatives in his conference voted with Democrats. "The naming of Pulte to that position, although the timing arguably wasn't the best, I still don't think it ought to derail something that's this important," Thune said. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, a longtime critic of the surveillance system, said the bipartisan vote was proof that "reform efforts transcend red and blue." "It's a message that Americans aren't going to stand for law-abiding people being spied on,"...