White House supports renewal of spy law without reforms: official
Source: Reuters
TECHNOLOGY NEWS | Wed Mar 1, 2017 | 2:56pm EST
White House supports renewal of spy law without reforms: official
By Dustin Volz and Steve Holland | WASHINGTON
The Trump administration does not want to reform an internet surveillance law to address privacy concerns, a White House official told Reuters on Wednesday, saying it is needed to protect national security.
The announcement could put President Donald Trump on a collision course with Congress, where some Republicans and Democrats have advocated curtailing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, parts of which are due to expire at the end of the year.
"We support the clean reauthorization and the administration believes it's necessary to protect the security of the nation," the official said on condition of anonymity.
The FISA law has been criticized by privacy and civil liberties advocates as allowing broad, intrusive spying. It gained renewed attention following the 2013 disclosures by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that the agency carried out widespread monitoring of emails and other electronic communications.
Portions of the law, including a provision known as Section 702, will expire on Dec. 31 unless Congress reauthorizes them.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-fisa-idUSKBN16855P