Ex-GOP Rep. Warns Congressional Black Caucus Helping House Speaker Pass FISA Reauthorization

Amash says Johnson is relying on Rep. Meeks and the CBC to reauthorize FISA 702 without warrant requirement

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:34am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A quiet, cinematic painting of a solitary laptop computer sitting on an empty desk in a shadowy government office, the scene bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually illustrating the tension between national security and civil liberties.The debate over government surveillance powers and privacy rights casts a long shadow over the nation's capital.Chicago Today

Former Republican U.S. Representative Justin Amash is warning that House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, is relying on the help of Rep. Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York, and the Congressional Black Caucus to pass a reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 without a warrant requirement. Amash argues that allowing warrantless surveillance of Americans' communications is a betrayal of the Constitution.

Why it matters

FISA Section 702 allows the government to conduct warrantless surveillance of non-Americans located outside the U.S. to gather foreign intelligence. However, this can also 'incidentally' collect communications of U.S. persons, raising privacy concerns. Amash is concerned that the Congressional Black Caucus may be supporting this reauthorization, which could empower the government to spy on Americans without a warrant.

The details

FISA Section 702 was reauthorized in April 2024 until April 2026. While critics cite the 'backdoor search loophole' to access Americans' data, supporters deem it vital for national security. In 2020, when Amash was still a member of Congress, he co-sponsored an amendment to the reauthorization bill that would have required the government to seek a warrant based on probable cause before searching surveillance data for information about Americans. The amendment received bipartisan support but ultimately failed.

  • FISA Section 702 was reauthorized in April 2024 until April 2026.
  • In 2020, Amash co-sponsored an amendment to the FISA 702 reauthorization bill that would have required a warrant.

The players

Justin Amash

A former Republican U.S. Representative from Michigan who opposed the GOP nomination of Donald Trump in 2016 and was the first Republican member of Congress to call for Trump's impeachment.

Mike Johnson

The current Republican House Speaker from Louisiana.

Gregory Meeks

A Democratic U.S. Representative from New York and the ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Congressional Black Caucus

A group of African-American members of the United States Congress.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Is it true that @RepGregoryMeeks and Congressional Black Caucus leaders are whipping votes to help Mike Johnson pass a clean FISA 702 reauthorization? Anyone who empowers Donald Trump—or any president—to spy on Americans without a warrant is betraying the Constitution and the people they serve. The Fourth Amendment isn't optional. Demand a warrant requirement.”

— Justin Amash, Former GOP U.S. Representative

What’s next

The House is expected to vote on the FISA 702 reauthorization bill in the coming weeks. Amash is urging the public to contact their representatives and demand that any reauthorization include a warrant requirement to protect Americans' privacy rights.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over the balance between national security and civil liberties, as lawmakers wrestle with the scope of government surveillance powers and the need to protect Americans' constitutional rights.