The House approved a reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) this week, which includes a new audit requirement championed by Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, according to a May 1 announcement.
Section 702 has been controversial due to concerns about privacy and the collection of Americans’ data. The new audit aims to provide Congress with greater oversight over how agencies like the National Security Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation target and collect information under this authority.
“Protecting constitutional rights of Americans, including Fourth Amendment rights, is a primary responsibility of Congress,” Spartz said. “We know that in previous years, agencies were improperly collecting information on Americans using ‘about’ targeting, but no true audits were ever performed of Section 702 targeting. This new audit will, for the first time, help Congress better oversee how agencies target and collect.”
Section 702 was established in 2008 following the events of September 11 to allow surveillance on non-U.S. persons outside the United States without a warrant. The FISA Court has found multiple violations related to its use and there remains significant debate about potential data collection involving U.S. citizens through this process.
Spartz is currently serving in the U.S. Congress representing Indiana’s Fifth District after replacing Susan Brooks in 2021 according to her biography. She previously served in the Indiana Senate from 2017 until her election to Congress as reported by official records. Born in Nosivka, Ukraine in 1978, Spartz now resides in Noblesville at age forty-four according to local news. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Kyiv National Economic University in 2000 according to her biography.
Looking ahead, supporters say that implementing an independent audit could help address ongoing concerns regarding privacy protections while allowing intelligence agencies continued access under Section 702.
