Senate passes 10-day extension of federal surveillance powers without debate

Published April 17, 2026 12:46pm ET | Updated April 17, 2026 12:46pm ET



The Senate unanimously passed a 10-day extension of the federal government’s power to surveil individuals suspected of being national security threats without debate on Friday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) brought the measure to the floor during a brief session. The 10-day extension of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act gives GOP leadership some breathing room to reach an agreement with conservative hardliners in the House over the program, which was set to lapse on April 20.

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