EPIC Statement on Passage of FY24 NDAA Extending FISA Section 702

Today, the House passed the FY ’24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains an extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until April 19, 2024. EPIC and our coalition opposed such an extension, arguing that it was both unnecessary and would enable the government to seek a new year-long certification before the FISA Court, further extending Section 702 surveillance into 2025.

Jeramie Scott, Senior Counsel and Director of EPIC’s Project on Surveillance Oversight:

“It is deeply disheartening to see Congress endorse an unnecessary, clean extension of Section 702 as part of this year’s NDAA. The members who voted for this extension will have to explain to their constituents why they continue to dodge real, meaningful debate over warrantless government surveillance and ignore the long history of abuse of Section 702. EPIC commends those members in the House and Senate who stood against this brazen attempt to sidestep bicameral, bipartisan reform efforts. We will continue to fight to ensure that Section 702 is only reauthorized subject to meaningful reform.”

EPIC has published a blog series focused on explaining Section 702 and the need to reform it. EPIC and a bipartisan coalition of civil society groups have called for broad reform to Section 702 and related surveillance authorities.