HR8512Referred to Committee

To amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 through April 20, 2029, and for other purposes.

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Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-04-27
Introduced
0
Cosponsors
HR
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Type

Sponsor

Clay Higgins
Clay Higgins
Republican · LA · Representative
Votes with party: 91.8% (582 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/H001077

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (0)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

No cosponsors on record. Bills can pass without cosponsors — this often means the sponsor introduced the bill alone, either because it's a messaging bill, a chairman's mark, or simply early in the legislative cycle.

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Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

2026-04-27

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

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Plain-English Summary

The government's ability to conduct certain types of foreign intelligence surveillance would be extended for several more years under this proposal. Specifically, it would allow federal agencies to continue monitoring communications involving foreign targets without a traditional warrant, a power that's set to expire soon but would now remain in effect through April 2029. The measure affects how the FBI, NSA, and other intelligence agencies can gather information on suspected foreign threats and spies.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

Subjects

Armed Forces and National Security

Full Bill Text

Verbatim text published on Congress.gov via GovInfo. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to search within this excerpt.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8512 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8512 To amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 through April 20, 2029, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 27, 2026 Mr. Higgins of Louisiana introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to extend the authorities of title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 through April 20, 2029, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES OF TITLE VII OF THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE ACT OF 1978. (a) Extension of Repeal Date of Title VII.--Section 403(b) of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-261), as most recently amended by Public Law 119-84, is further amended-- (1) in paragraph (1) (50 U.S.C. 1881 note) by striking ``April 30, 2026'' and inserting ``April 20, 2029''; and (2) in paragraph (2) (18 U.S.C. 2511 note), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``April 30, 2026'' and inserting ``April 20, 2029''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the earlier of the date of the enactment of this Act or April 29, 2026. SEC. 2. WARRANT REQUIREMENT FOR TARGETING FOR ACQUISITION COMMUNICATIONS OF UNITED STATES PERSONS. (a) Requirement.--Paragraph (1) of subsection (n) of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1881a) is amended to read as follows: ``(1) Restriction.--The Federal Bureau of Investigation may not ingest unminimized information acquired under this section into its analytic repositories unless the targeted person is relevant to an existing, open, predicated full national security investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If the subject of such predicated, full national security investigation is a United States person, for purposes of this paragraph, the investigation must be supported by probable cause.''. (b) Requirement.--Section 702 of such Act is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(o) Warrant Requirement for Certain Targeting.-- ``(1) Prohibition.--Pursuant to subsection (b), no officer or employee of the United States Government may intentionally target for acquisition the communications of a United States person pursuant to an authorization issued under subsection (a). Pursuant to other provisions of this Act and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Government may seek a warrant or other appropriate order supported by a probable cause showing to target for collection the communications of a United States person if there exists probable cause that the United States person to whom such communications relate-- ``(A) is a foreign power or an agent of foreign power, in which circumstances the Government may seek authorization for electronic surveillance in accordance with title I, a physical search in accordance with title III, or for acquisitions in accordance with section 703, 704, or 705; or ``(B) is committing or has committed a crime, in which circumstances the Government may seek a warrant issued pursuant to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure by a court of competent jurisdiction. ``(2) Procedures and standards.--The Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence shall…
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jointly establish procedures and standards for officers and employees of the United States Government to determine the existence of probable cause described in paragraph (1). ``(3) Savings provision.--Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit the authority of the Government under any applicable laws or the Constitution of the United States.''. (c) Use of Information.--Paragraph (2) of section 706(a) of such Act (50 U.S.C. 1881e(a)) is amended to read as follows: ``(2) United states persons.--Any information concerning a United States person acquired under section 702 may not be used in evidence against that United States person pursuant to paragraph (1) in any criminal proceeding if such information was acquired in violation of subsection (o) of such section.''. SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL PENALTIES. Section 709 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1881h) is amended to read as follows (and conform the table of contents at the beginning of such Act accordingly): ``SEC. 709. PENALTIES FOR UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE AND OTHER ACTIONS. ``(a) Offenses.-- ``(1) Unauthorized disclosure or retention.--A person is guilty of an offense under this paragraph if that person knowingly and willfully-- ``(A) communicates, furnishes, transmits, or otherwise makes available to an unauthorized person, or publishes, or uses in any manner prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detriment of the United States any classified information that contains the contents of any communication acquired under this title to which a known United States person is a party; or ``(B) retains with specific intent to violate, without authorization, including by approved procedures, any classified information that contains the contents of any communication acquired under this title to which a known United States person is a party. ``(2) Unauthorized query.--A person is guilty of an offense under this paragraph if that person, while serving as an officer or employee of a department or agency of the United States, with specific intent to violate this paragraph, willfully conducts a United States person query of information acquired under section 702(a), knowing that the query does not support a duly authorized purpose within the scope of the authority of such department or agency. ``(3) Falsifies or misrepresents compliance.--A person is guilty of an offense under this paragraph if that person knowingly and willfully, with specific intent to violate this paragraph, falsifies a record, or makes a material misrepresentation to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, regarding compliance with the procedures or requirements for querying information acquired under section 702(a). ``(b) Penalties.-- ``(1) Unauthorized disclosure or retention.--A person guilty of an offense in subsection (a)(1) shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 8 years, or both. ``(2) Unauthorized query.--A person guilty of an offense in subsection (a)(2) shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both. ``(3) Falsifies or misrepresents compliance.--A person guilty of an offense in subsection (a)(3) shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both. ``(c) Defenses.-- ``(1) Unauthorized query.--It is a defense to a prosecution under subsection (a)(2) that-- ``(A) the defendant conducted the query in the course of the official duties of the person and such query was authorized by a supervisor, attorney, or member of the Senior Executive Service (or equivalent); or ``(B) such query was conducted pursuant to a duly authorized purpose. ``(2) Misrepresents compliance.--It is a defense to a prosecution under subsection (a)(3) that the defendant made the misrepresentation in the course of the official duties of the person and such misrepresentation was authorized by a supervisor, attorney, or member of the Senior Executive Service (or equivalent), or that the defendant made the misrepresentation acting based on a good faith understanding of the authorities, in compliance with approved procedures, and the facts known to the individual at the time. ``(d) Jurisdiction.--There is Federal jurisdiction over an offense under this section if the person committing the offense was an officer or employee of the United States at the time the offense was committed.''. SEC. 4. ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES FOR MEMBER ACCESS TO THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT AND FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT OF REVIEW. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall-- (1) revoke the procedures issued by the Attorney General on or before December 31, 2025, pursuant to section 5(d) of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (Public Law 118-49; 50 U.S.C. 1803 note); and (2) issue new procedures that comply with such section and ensure the access of the Members of Congress and staff specified in such section to any proceeding of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or any proceeding of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review. SEC. 5. REQUIREMENT FOR ATTORNEY APPROVAL OF FBI QUERIES USING UNITED STATES PERSON QUERY TERM. Section 702(f)(3)(A)(i) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1881a(f)(3)(A)(i)) is amended by striking ``supervisor (or employee of equivalent or greater rank) or''. SEC. 6. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE AUDIT OF TARGETING PROCEDURES UNDER SECTION 702 OF THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE ACT OF 1978. (a) Audit.--The Comptroller General of the United States, consistent with the protection of sensitive sources and methods, shall conduct an audit of the targeting procedures used for acquisitions under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1881a), including the technical mechanisms, implementation, and operations used by the Federal Government for targeting capabilities. (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate a report containing the results of the audit required by subsection (a), including an analysis of whether the targeting procedures as implemented are appropriately limiting targeting under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1881a) to non-United States persons located outside of the United States. <all>
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