A bill to renew a key federal government surveillance tool, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), passed the House of Representatives on Friday, about a week before it is set to expire.

However, House Freedom Caucus conservatives and their allies have blocked the bill from heading to the Senate. In the dramatic moments after its passage, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., raised a procedural measure objecting to the final vote count, which was then countered by the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla., and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio.

Now, the House must vote on whether to reconsider passage of Section 702 on Monday, shortening the Senate’s timeline to consider the bill before its expiry on April 19.

A modified version of the original bill passed a procedural hurdle late on Thursday after a group of 19 conservative privacy hawks sunk the House GOP’s chance at passing it earlier this week.

The legislation is aimed at reforming Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows the government to surveil foreigners abroad with suspected terror links without a warrant. Section 702 allows the FBI to collect communications of a narrow list of foreign targets, even if the person at the other end of the suspect’s communications is an American. 

The battle over its renewal has put Johnson in a tough spot between privacy and national security hawks within his conference, while he also navigates a razor-thin majority of just two seats.

National security hawks and members of the intelligence community have called it a critical tool for preventing another 9/11-style attack. However, critics, including both conservatives and progressives, have been seeking to limit its scope after reported instances of abuse by FBI agents to query data on Americans that already existed in the Section 702 database.

To do that, the House Judiciary Committee backed an amendment that would have required a warrant to query Americans’ data that was collected in the Section 702 system. Opponents of the measure have said it would critically hamper the intelligence community’s ability to quickly detect major threats and equated it to forcing police to get a warrant before running a license plate during a traffic stop.

It was tense in the House chamber on Friday when that amendment, which ultimately failed to pass in a 212 to 212 vote, was being considered. Johnson cast a critical and potentially decisive vote against the amendment, though a spokesperson for the speaker told Fox News Digital that he voted early on during the 25-minute window.

An unusual political scene unfurled as members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus cheered for progressive ‘Squad’ members voting in favor of the amendment.

After the vote, those same conservatives criticized Johnson for his opposition to the amendment both online and in comments to the press.

‘We’re very disappointed that when we sent Mike Johnson away from the Judiciary Committee, he departed from some of the views that he held deeply and views that, frankly, he was more eloquent in expressing than even I was,’ Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., told reporters.

The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America (RISA) Act is a compromise effort between the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees aimed at narrowing who can access communications collected, and making it a crime to misuse that data.

However, the conservatives who voted to tank the bill on Wednesday said it did not go far enough to protect Americans’ data. Many were also angry at the exclusion of an amendment by Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, that would have forced the federal government to seek a warrant before buying Americans’ data from third parties. 

Opponents of the amendment argued it did not have to do with Section 702 and would have sunk the bill’s chances of passing in the Senate.

They were also backed by former President Trump, who pushed back on the RISA bill on Wednesday morning, declaring on Truth Social, ‘KILL FISA.’

House GOP leaders assuaged conservatives’ concerns by promising a standalone vote on Davidson’s amendment, though the timing of that is still unclear.

The modified legislation also shrinks the Section 702 reauthorization window from five years to two years. 

It would give the opportunity for the next administration, likely a Trump or Biden White House, to reform the tool early in the next presidential term.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) covered legal fees for President Biden during the special counsel probe into his possession of classified documents, while his campaign slammed the Republican National Committee for paying former President Trump’s legal bills for his various criminal indictments. 

The DNC paid former President Obama lawyer Bob Bauer, who is also married to senior White House adviser Anita Dunn, for ‘legal services’ after it was revealed the attorney had been tapped to handle the president’s classified documents scandal. 

Over $1.05 million was doled out to Bauer and other lawyers representing Biden during special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation, with payments being made from July 2023 to February 2024, according to Axios, which first reported the story.

DNC spokesman Alex Floyd told Fox News Digital in a statement, ‘There is no comparison – the DNC does not spend a single penny of grassroots donors’ money on legal bills, unlike Donald Trump, who actively solicits legal fees from his supporters and has drawn down every bank account he can get his hands on like a personal piggy bank.’

News of the DNC’s payments to Biden’s lawyers in the Hur investigation comes as the president’s campaign has hit Trump for using donor money to pay off his legal debts. 

Biden’s campaign recently slammed Trump over a ‘lack of funding,’ questioning if it is good strategy to reach out to ‘donors to help cover your own personal debts instead of funding your campaign.’

Last week, Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, said Biden’s fundraising was in ‘stark contrast to Trump’s cash-strapped operation that is funneling the limited and billionaire-reliant funds it has to pay off his various legal fees.’

Fox News Digital did not immediately receive comments from the Biden campaign or the White House Counsel’s office.

‘Joe Biden and the Democrats’ entire campaign against President Trump is based upon lies and hypocrisy — they have repeatedly stated they don’t spend money on Biden’s legal bills, while they attack President Trump for having to defend himself from Biden’s witch hunts,’ the Trump campaign said in a statement. ‘Come to find out, the DNC paid millions to cover Biden’s legal bills to a law firm run by the husband of top White House staffer Anita Dunn. Apparently, ’10% for the big guy’ from Hunter wasn’t enough for Crooked Joe to foot his own bill.’

As the DNC’s Floyd noted, Trump’s various committees have spent tens of millions on covering legal bills for the former president, and they have further solicited donations by citing the criminal cases he is involved in. Conversely, Biden’s campaign has not used the legal matter involving the president to prompt supporters to donate. 

Mike Pence, who served as vice president under former President Donald Trump, has landed a new gig.

Pence will be teaching a course at Grove City College, the school announced Thursday. Grove City College is a conservative Christian school located in Grove City, Pennsylvania.

‘It was an honor to be on campus today and see President Paul McNulty and so many wonderful students!’ Pence tweeted Thursday, with photos of him addressing the annual conference held by The Institute for Faith & Freedom.

Pence will serve as the Distinguished Visiting Fellow for Faith & Public Life for the school’s new Center for Faith & Public Life, which will ‘explore and support the presence of Christian faith in public institutions,’ the school said.

In a separate statement, Pence said he was honored to be a visiting fellow for the college.

‘It is my great honor to serve as a visiting fellow to Grove City College’s new Center for Faith & Public Life,’ Pence said. ‘Faith and engaging in public life are not mutually exclusive, nor should they ever be. History shows that Christians steadily working toward the common good have changed the world, and Grove City College opening a center shows they are committed to continuing this work.’

The former vice president and governor of Indiana continued: ‘Grove City College has been a pivotal institution in helping students grow in their faith and in understanding God’s calling for their life through a rigorous education and a faith-based community. Grove City works to send out young men and women into the world to be beacons of light and truth in a world that needs leaders of integrity and principle.’

Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty emphasized the role of faith in society and praised Pence as the ‘perfect choice’ for the position.

‘The appropriate role of faith in the public square is a major issue in this moment of our American life. The Founders envisioned a free society sustained by a self-governing citizenry and strengthened by virtues rooted in religious belief. At the core of Christian faith is the call to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. The Center will examine how and why Christians have sought to put their faith into action for the common good,’ McNulty said in a statement.

McNulty added: ‘Mike Pence is the perfect choice for the Center’s first fellowship.’

‘No one has pursued this calling more sincerely than the former vice president,’ the president continued. ‘He is an extraordinary role model for what it looks like to lead with wisdom and winsomeness in public life, and he will be a leading source of thought leadership and an impactful voice of the Center.’

In a news release, the school added: ‘As one of America’s foremost Christian political leaders, Pence has been explicit about how his faith has guided him as a public servant. The wisdom he has accrued over decades of service in Congress, as governor of Indiana, and as the nation’s second-in-command for four years under President Donald J. Trump will benefit the new center.’

Pence will teach a course with McNulty, write and speak with students in his new capacity. He will also participate in various events, the school said.

Since leaving office, Pence has written a book, ‘So Help Me God,’ and run for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election. He has since suspended his campaign.

The House Rules Committee inched a little closer to extending the life of the federal government surveillance tool known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), after approving a two-year extension late Thursday.

While the committee approved the measure, it now goes up for debate and amendment votes, which could be followed by a vote Friday.

The House Rules Committee met at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday to re-up the FISA authorization bill for the floor for the second time this week.

The bill, which was backed by Speaker Mike Johnson, was blocked by more than a dozen House GOP members.

Now that the House Rules Committee has advanced a rule to set up a debate on the reauthorization of FISA in an 8-4 vote, a vote on the rule will likely take place on Friday morning. If the rule passes, a vote on the final passage could take place later in the day.

FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Appropriations subcommittee on Thursday that there is an increasing concern of a potential coordinated attack in the U.S., similar to the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) attack last month at a concert hall in Russia.

Wray, who spoke before lawmakers to discuss the FY25 budget, said his agency needed additional funding to protect Americans from terrorism, adding that there has been a heightened risk of violence in the U.S. since Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2024.

‘Since then, we’ve seen a rogues’ gallery of foreign terrorist organizations call for attacks against Americans and our allies,’ Wray said. ‘Given those calls for action, our most immediate concern has been that individuals or small groups will draw twisted inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home. But now, increasingly concerning, is the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, akin to the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia Concert Hall a couple of weeks ago.’

On March 22, Moscow’s Crocus City concert hall was attacked by terrorists, leaving 137 people dead and over 180 wounded. The gunmen who conducted the attack were identified by Russian media as Tajik nationals. After walking in with automatic weapons, the terrorists indiscriminately opened fire on the 6,200-seat venue.

The Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the brutal attack.

‘Hard-pressed’

Wray told members of the Congressional subcommittee that he would be ‘hard-pressed’ to think of a time when so many threats to public safety and national security were all elevated at once, adding that it was the case as he sat before them.

‘This is by no means a time to let up or dial back,’ he said. ‘This is a time when we need your support the most. We need all the tools, all the people, and all the resources required to tackle these threats and keep Americans safe.’

One of the tools is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which some GOP lawmakers say does not go far enough to safeguard Americans’ data. In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson backed a bill to renew the controversial tool set to expire April 19, but over a dozen House GOP privacy hawks blocked the effort.

Wray told the committee the most indispensable tool Congress could give the FBI to fight foreign adversaries was the reauthorization of Section 702.

‘In crunch time’

‘It is critical in securing our nation, and we are in crunch time with our 702 authorities set to expire next week,’ Wray said. ‘So, let me be clear: Failure to reauthorize 702 or gutting it with some new kind of warrant requirement would be dangerous, and put Americans lives at risk.’

According to the FBI director, Section 702 is crucial to identifying terrorists in the U.S. who are working with foreign terrorist organizations who publicly call for attacks on the country.

The tool helps the FBI find who the terrorists are working with to allow the FBI to stop them before they kill Americans, Wray said.

He also said Section 702 is crucial as China and Iran target Americans, the latter of which is known for kidnappings and assassinations.

Crucial tool

The tool also allows the FBI to fend off cyber threats, as well as threats to electricity, water and medical facilities.

Wray said if Congress allows Section 702 to lapse, which it is set to do next week, it will ‘massively increase the risk of missing crucial intelligence during a time of heightened national security threats across a whole multiple of fronts.’

‘Now is not the time for us to hang up our gloves, to take away tools we need to punch back. And failing to reauthorize 702 or gutting it with some kind of warrant requirement would be dangerous and put American lives at risk,’ he said. ‘I think if FISA were to expire, it adds one more challenge to our ability to secure us from foreign threats, including border-related threats.’

‘This is not a time for panic; it is a time for heightened vigilance,’ Wray added.

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.

Tough spot

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 warrant-less 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.

The House Judiciary Committee backed an amendment that would force U.S. officials to seek a warrant before querying communications made by an American, which national security-minded Republicans have largely opposed.

One GOP lawmaker compared the amendment’s effects to forcing a police officer to seek a warrant before querying a license plate in their database. 

They explained that if a suspected terrorist overseas is communicating with a U.S. citizen at home, a Section 702 search would already pick up their specific communications with that U.S. citizen. 

The amendment would force authorities to seek a warrant before seeing the contents of that communication, which critics have warned could waste valuable time in the event of a serious threat.

Elizabeth Elkind and Chris Massaro of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.

A group of House Republicans exhorted President Biden to ‘ensure the expedient release’ of U.S. citizens being held hostage by Hamas terrorists and voice Israel’s ‘inviolable right to self-defense.’

‘We write today to express our full support for the State of Israel in its fight against Hamas. Specifically, we urge your administration to do everything in your power to ensure the safe and expedient release of the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza in the wake of the vicious October 7th attack,’ the letter from Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., to the White House said. 

‘Further, we implore the White House to show unwavering support for Israel and to spare no effort to assist the Jewish state in its mission to 1) defeat Hamas and 2) ensure the release of these hostages during this particularly trying time in Israel’s history,’ the letter said.

Fry was joined by 15 GOP lawmakers to demand support for Israel.

The unexpected and overwhelming assault by at least 1,500 Hamas fighters, who poured into Israel by land and sea, killed about 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023.

More than 250 people were taken hostage and moved to Hamas’ Gaza stronghold.

‘While we recognize the magnitude and complexity of this situation, we must not forget that these savage terrorists have raped and pillaged their way across Israel’s southern communities,’ the letter said. 

5 American citizens

Among the hostages, U.S. officials have said that five are American citizens, though it is unclear whether they are alive.

‘As you know, five American citizens are still believed to be hostages of Hamas: Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Omer Neutra, Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Keith Siegel,’ the letter said. ‘As this situation evolved, it quickly became evident that unthinkable acts, such as severe sexual and psychological abuse, had been perpetrated against these hostages.’

The group of GOP lawmakers urged the White House to be ‘aligned’ with Israel and that ‘deviations’ from supporting Israel only ‘harden’ Hamas’ resolve.

‘We strongly believe that the United States should be Israel’s greatest ally and advocate in the fight to bring these individuals home, particularly considering the international community’s consistent and callous minimization of the condition of these hostages,’ the letter said. ‘With this in mind, it is of utmost importance that the United States be aligned with Israel in its goals, as any deviations between Washington, D.C., and Jerusalem only serve to harden Hamas’s resolve and decrease the chances for hostage negotiations.’

The letter urged Biden to use the ‘voice, status and power’ of the U.S. to bring the hostages home.

‘As such, the United States must use its voice, status, and power on the world stage to amplify the plight of these innocent hostages who were ripped from their homes by a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO). As a nation, we must continue to stand with Israel and ensure Jerusalem has everything it needs to execute its right to self-defense against Gaza, Iran, and its other adversaries in the Middle East,’ the letter said.

The letter pointed to Hamas leadership living in Qatar, urging the White House to pressure the opulent country to stop supporting the terrorist group.

Put pressure on Qatar

‘The United States must also pressure Qatar to end its duplicitous role in this crisis. We urge you to pressure Doha to expel the leadership of Hamas from Qatar and to cease its support for the terrorist group,’ the letter said. ‘The United States cannot partner with countries that provide a haven to FTOs that continue to kill and entrap innocent individuals. An honest assessment of U.S.-Qatar relations is vital to the safe return of these hostages as well as an end to the Israel-Hamas war.’

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Fry said that the letter to Biden came after he witnessed first-hand the aftermath of the attacks.

‘During our time in Israel, my colleagues and I witnessed first-hand the aftermath of the October 7th attacks and the heartbreaking destruction and disruption of life Israelis have faced,’ Fry said. 

‘Must defeat Hamas’

‘The Biden administration should not be turning our back on our greatest ally in the Middle East,’ he said. ‘The United States must do everything it can to support Israel to defeat Hamas and other terrorists and help ensure the safe release of all hostages taken by Hamas.’

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, affirming the U.S.’ support of Israel.

In a press briefing Thursday, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said that the U.S. support of Israel was ‘ironclad.’

‘Secretary Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart this afternoon. Minister Gallant to discuss the current situation in the Middle East and to reaffirm the U.S. ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies.’

Ryder said that the U.S. is in ‘close contact’ with Israel as the Iran threat continues. 

Conservative activist Leonard Leo has been subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee related to an investigation into Supreme Court ethics in what he calls a ‘politically motivated’ move that he will not abide by. 

‘Today, I received an unlawful and politically motivated subpoena from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin,’ Leo said in a statement on Thursday. 

‘I am not capitulating to his lawless support of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and the left’s dark money effort to silence and cancel political opposition.’

Leo was subpoenaed by the committee in what is the latest back and forth between Senate Democrats and Leo as the Senate has continued summoning information regarding trips and events that Supreme Court justices have taken and participated in over the years. 

For decades, Leo has been a part of the Federalist Society, which has long been criticized by liberal activists for its involvement in helping advise and lobby former President Donald Trump through the nominations of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

The senators have previously asked for an itemized list of gifts and payments from Leo or groups he is associated with dating back decades and related to any Supreme Court justice he has associated with amid public outcry from Democrats accusing Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of ethics violations, which have been dismissed by many as politically motivated. 

In a Thursday letter to Durbin, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary, Leo’s lawyer David Rivkin Jr., reiterated Leo is ‘not complying’ with the ‘unlawful and politically motivated subpoena.’

The senators’ demands stem from ProPublica’s reporting on the travel habits of Justices Thomas and Alito. Specifically, ProPublica reported on an Alaskan fishing trip that Justice Alito took with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, who would later have business matters before the high court.

Conservatives have widely criticized the effort by pointing out that many of the ‘experts’ cited in the various reports have undisclosed ties to Democratic causes.

The committee has also previously authorized a potential subpoena for GOP donor Harlan Crow related to gifts he gave Thomas and called the two subpoenas ‘key pieces of our legislative effort to establish an effective code of conduct’ for the Supreme Court.

Conservatives have called out ProPublica for being primarily funded by organizations and donors who support liberal causes, including court-packing and removing conservative justices from the court.

Alito has defended himself against ProPublica’s reporting, and Leo has released a statement dismissing the idea that the fishing trip was somehow kept from the public.

‘By selectively targeting Mr. Leo for investigation on a politically charged basis, while ignoring other potential sources of information on the asserted topic of interest who are similarly situated to Mr. Leo but have different political views that are more consistent with those of the Committee majority, your inquiry appears to be political retaliation against a private citizen in violation of the First Amendment,’ Rivkin previously wrote to the committee.

Leo and his legal team have also pointed out that trips taken by former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and money received by late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have not resulted in inquiries from the committee.

‘Since July 2023, Leonard Leo has responded to the legitimate oversight requests of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a blanket refusal to cooperate,’ Durbin told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

‘His outright defiance left the Committee with no other choice but to move forward with the compulsory process. For that reason, I have issued a subpoena to Mr. Leo.’

The statement continued: ‘Mr. Leo has played a central role in the ethics crisis plaguing the Supreme Court and, unlike the other recipients of information requests in this matter, he has done nothing but stonewall the Committee. This subpoena is a direct result of Mr. Leo’s own actions and choices.’

An aide for Durbin told Fox News Digital that while the senator ‘certainly expects the subject to acknowledge the gravity of a congressional subpoena,’ there are ‘options available to the Senate to enforce a subpoena in the event of noncompliance.’

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

In November, the Supreme Court adopted a modified ethics code in response to pressure from Durbin’s committee and others.

House Republicans’ campaign arm is announcing that it raised more than $33 million in the first three months of 2024.

It comes as GOP leaders brace for battle to keep and even expand their razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives this November.

‘In a game of inches for the House majority where every seat matters, Republicans are out-recruiting, out-messaging, and out-hustling extreme Democrats,’ Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), told Fox News Digital in a statement.

‘We are building momentum to grow our House Republican majority – this outstanding fundraising is proof we will have the resources we need to make extreme Democrats pay a price for failing America.’

The NRCC raised $33.4 million in the first three months of 2024, according to an early press release obtained by Fox News Digital. Nearly half that total – $16.2 million – was raised in March alone, their best fundraising month of the cycle so far.

It brings the NRCC’s total fundraising for the 2024 election cycle, which began in January 2023, to $124.7 million.

The total is significantly higher than the $25.8 million the NRCC raised in the first quarter of last year, which is not a shocking data point given that it’s an election year.

It comes as the House has spent much of this Congress grappling with a majority of just a few votes. The margin is expected to be whittled down to just one after the April 19 departure of Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.

The cash will have to be used to defend their swing-district incumbents in places like New York and California, in addition to winning new seats.

But in a brief interview with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., this week, the No. 2 House Republican said there are vulnerable Democrat seats across the country where Republicans could expand their majority.

He named Michigan, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Ohio and even California as places with seats that could flip from blue to red.

‘There’s about 20-plus seats right now that are held by Democrats today that have a very real chance of flipping for Republican candidates,’ he said. 

‘The top issue you hear about everywhere you go is border security. People are furious that we had over 8 million people come across the border illegally and Joe Biden won’t do anything to stop it,’ Scalise said. ‘And then there’s just the high cost of everything – energy, of course, being at the top of the list, but also groceries – you know, just people talking about sharing their stories about how expensive things are because of the inflation caused by all of the spending in D.C. and all of the policies coming out of Washington.’