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The government’s authority to conduct warrantless surveillance of foreigners abroad under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) expires in one week. Republican leaders and the White House are pushing for a clean 18-month extension, and the House plans to vote on the measure this week.

The proposal is politically divided. The Speaker cannot use suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority, so he must pursue passage under regular order. This process requires the Rules Committee to report a rule and the full House to approve it. The minority party typically opposes rules without concessions, and current Republican support is insufficient to pass the rule alone. The Speaker could allow amendments to gain far-right backing, but this may reduce Democratic support. Strong White House backing will be essential for passage.