In a stunning bipartisan defeat, the House rejected a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by a vote of 198-218 on Thursday. The measure, which would have extended the authority through July 2, collapsed after nearly all Democrats and dozens of conservative Republicans withheld support. The law now faces expiration at midnight Friday unless Congress acts.
The standoff centers on President Trump's decision to install Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte, who has no national security experience, was appointed to lead what Trump described as "the immediate and needed downsizing" of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Democrats have made reversing that appointment a condition for backing the extension, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declaring there is "nothing really to talk about" until Pulte's elevation is abandoned.
Republicans are split internally as well: while most supported the extension, a bloc of conservatives joined Democrats in opposition, citing frustration over a lack of broader reforms to the surveillance program. The Senate may attempt its own vote later Thursday, but hopes are dimming for a resolution before the deadline. If Congress fails to act, it would mark an unprecedented lapse in one of the government's most important intelligence tools.
The implications extend beyond the immediate deadline. A lapse would temporarily disable key surveillance capabilities used to monitor foreign threats, though intelligence officials warn that even a short gap could disrupt ongoing operations. The standoff also signals deepening dysfunction on national security matters, with partisan fights over executive appointments bleeding into urgent legislative business. The White House has not publicly intervened to resolve the Pulte dispute.
For now, attention shifts to the Senate, where leadership is weighing its own short-term fix. But without a resolution to the Pulte imbroglio, the path forward remains uncertain. Intelligence committees in both chambers have urged a compromise, but no formal talks are underway.