The GOP-led Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) deal is facing its first hurdle in the House Rules Committee.
As the House Rules Committee takes up FISA, several GOP hardliners have offered amendments to further reform the spy powers law.
Among them is an amendment from Republican Reps. Michael Cloud of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, and Barry Moore of Alabama which would block the issuance of a central bank digital currency (CBDC), reflecting lawmakers’ concerns about government overreach, financial surveillance, and the potential displacement of traditional banking.
I’ve offered anti-CBDC amendments more than a dozen times, but the surveillance state is always hungry for more power—and unwilling to give up an inch. https://t.co/TVEGuFNU7f
— Rep. Michael Cloud (@RepMichaelCloud) April 27, 2026
When asked about the CBDC provision earlier Monday, Moore wrote to the Daily Caller that the effort is intended to prevent what he described as a broader expansion of federal control over the financial system, adding that implementing such a framework now would amount to a retroactive step. (RELATED: Why Isn’t The GOP Using FISA As Leverage For SAVE America Act?)
“President Trump has been clear about putting Americans first and stopping Washington from expanding its reach into our daily lives. A central bank digital currency would move us in the opposite direction by creating the potential for unprecedented government overreach. That kind of power doesn’t belong in the hands of bureaucrats. We should be moving to block or tightly restrict any CBDC framework to ensure individual liberty is preserved and government overreach into Americans’ economic freedom is stopped before it starts.”
Republican Arizona Reps. Eli Crane’s and Biggs amendment would require a warrant for government officials to query Section 702 FISA data for the contents of U.S. persons’ communications or other information.
It would ban warrantless “covered queries,” meaning searches using U.S. person identifiers or searches likely to return U.S. person data, unless one of a few narrow exceptions applies, including cases where the individual is already subject to a FISA or criminal warrant, there is an imminent threat of death or serious harm, the search is conducted with case-by-case consent, or it is limited to defensive cybersecurity purposes using known threat signatures.
The amendment would add new reporting requirements, place limits on the use of emergency search results, and prevent metadata alone from being used to justify access to full-content communications.
It’s more than possible to reauthorize FISA 702—to keep Americans safe from foreign adversaries—while respecting the letter and spirit of the Fourth Amendment
My bipartisan bill, the SAFE Act, would do that
Our privacy isn’t at odds with our security; it’s part of our security https://t.co/wIvzAvZNG1 pic.twitter.com/6OEddNykXW
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) April 27, 2026
Republican North Carolina Rep. Mark Harris also proposed two amendments to the FISA reauthorization for the Rules Committee’s consideration. (RELATED: Trump Admin Reaches Settlement With Carter Page Over FISA Spying)
The first would shorten the reauthorization period to keep pressure on Congress to negotiate stronger reforms rather than approving a long-term extension without additional safeguards.
“My first amendment would shorten the extension so Congress can keep these authorities from going dark while continuing to negotiate real reforms. A three-year extension is far too long without stronger guardrails, especially when a warrant requirement remains unresolved,” Harris wrote to the Caller Monday.
The second amendment would roll back expanded authorities by repealing the broad definition of “electronic communications service provider” included in the 2024 Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act — a change that critics say allows compelled access to data held by non-traditional providers such as private data centers, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise IT systems.
Taken together, these proposals aim to address concerns over the expanded scope of warrantless surveillance under Section 702, strengthen protections for U.S. persons’ data, and ensure better ongoing congressional oversight while preserving essential national security tools.
Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie has proposed a series of amendments to the FISA framework aimed at tightening surveillance authorities and expanding protections for U.S. persons. One amendment would require a warrant before federal officers can access U.S. person communications obtained under Section 702, while also imposing stricter limits, transparency requirements, and congressional oversight for any surveillance activities.
Massie has also proposed banning “reverse targeting” under Section 702, aiming to close what he describes as a loophole that allows the government to indirectly surveil Americans by targeting foreign individuals. Another amendment, similar to Harris’s, would repeal the 2024 expansion of FISA’s definition of “electronic communications service providers.” (RELATED: Trump Hated Deep State Spying Powers Used Against Him. Then He Launched A War)
Rep Thomas Massie says the FBI and Intelligence Agencies operate using their own secret laws that Americans aren’t allowed to know about
The FBI is using interpretations of the law that are so secret that no one is allowed to even talk about them
This is being used as a secret… pic.twitter.com/FZ129D8REl
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) April 26, 2026
Several GOP lawmakers have raised broader concerns about the reforms, with a recurring focus on adding stronger warrant requirements to ensure the authorities are not used to indirectly surveil Americans.
When asked about additional reforms or provisions he would like to see included as the bill moves through committee, Moore pointed again to Trump and his efforts to ensure FISA reforms are implemented across intelligence agencies, while also underscoring the importance of warrant requirements and stronger safeguards.
“These reforms are a great step to ensure that Section 702 of FISA functions as it was meant to, targeting foreign threats, not creating a backdoor for warrantless surveillance of Americans,” Moore wrote to the Caller. “If the government wants access to Americans’ communications, it should be required to get a warrant. That’s common-sense constitutional protection, and it ensures these powerful tools are used for their intended purpose, not turned against the very citizens they’re supposed to protect.”
The Caller reached out to Biggs for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
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