More than a dozen House GOP privacy hawks have successfully thwarted the advancement of a bill backed by Speaker Mike Johnson that aimed to renew the controversial federal government surveillance program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). With a vote of 193 to 228, 19 Republicans went against their party leadership and voted against a procedural motion that would have allowed for the bill to be debated and subsequently voted on.

The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, a compromise bill between the House Judiciary Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, seeks to address concerns of abuse reported against former President Trump and others by implementing safeguards on the access to Section 702-collected data, particularly if it pertains to U.S. citizens. Additionally, the bill would criminalize the misuse of backdoor loopholes to improperly access Americans' data.

However, critics on the conservative side argue that the bill does not go far enough to protect Americans' privacy. Among the GOP lawmakers who played a pivotal role in blocking 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.

This standoff places Speaker Mike Johnson in a difficult position, torn between the House Judiciary Committee and its supporters on one side, and the U.S. intelligence community and national security-minded members of Congress on the other. While opponents of Section 702 view it as a tool for exploitation and an infringement on privacy, supporters argue that it remains a critical tool in preventing terror attacks.

Section 702 allows the federal government to conduct warrantless surveillance on foreign nationals outside of the U.S. if they are suspected of having ties to terrorism, even if the person on the other end of the communication is an American citizen. The House Judiciary Committee proposed an amendment that would require U.S. officials to obtain a warrant before accessing communications made by an American citizen, a proposition that has faced opposition from national security-minded Republicans.

Critics of the amendment argue that it could hinder law enforcement's ability to respond quickly to potential threats. They compare the effects of the amendment to requiring a police officer to obtain a warrant before querying a license plate in their database. Supporters of the amendment, however, emphasize the need for greater protections of Americans' privacy.

Multiple sources have reported that during a closed-door meeting, Speaker Mike Johnson expressed opposition to the amendment, which further fueled the frustrations of hardline GOP members. Representative Dan Bishop, R-N.C., stated, "Unfortunately, I think the speaker is coming forward, reversing his personal position 180 degrees and weighing in on the Intel side. He's, unfortunately, I think, surrendered on that notion of neutrality."

If Congress does not take action, Section 702 of FISA is set to expire on April 19. The fate of the renewal bill remains uncertain as bipartisan tensions and concerns over privacy and national security continue to clash.