The Senate on Friday morning blocked a measure to extend a surveillance program used by U.S. agencies, in part because of opposition to President Donald Trump’s new acting director of national intelligence.
The vote was 47–52 against a motion that would have set up a final vote on extending a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that lets agencies such as the CIA collect communications from foreign targets without a warrant, and has in the past enabled collection of information from Americans communicating with foreigners.
Trump’s selection of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, who lacks a background in intelligence, as the acting national intelligence director spurred opposition to the extension measure….