Congress Debates Spying Powers, Privacy at Stake

0:00It's April 28, from Hollywood to your headphones. This is Entertainment and Celebrity News. Today, Power by AI, I'm Cory with the Story. Congress is in a heated debate over renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which lets intelligence agencies spy. On foreign communications through U.S. telecoms and often picks up American data, too. This power expires on Thursday, and while most Democrats back the clean extension under President Biden in 2024, they're digging in. Their heels now with President Trump in charge. Earlier this week, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called out the Trump team for weaponizing justice, saying they can't be trusted with. Privacy powers. Republicans are split, too, with Trump pushing for no changes, but far-right holdouts demanding warrants to search U.S. citizens' data and injury. Civil liberties groups like the ACLU and demand progress are cheering the pushback, wanting warrants plus a ban on buying personal data from brokers.

1:00Progressive Democrats compare supporting this to passport trails on migrant laws, arguing it'll haunt them if Trump abuses it. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson is twisting arms in the Freedom Caucus, maybe dangling a Federal Reserve digital currency ban to get votes. The House could vote Tuesday evening, but Senate Republicans already scrapped their clean extension plan for lack of support. The Democrats holding real leverage a few security-focused ones like Jared Golden might tip the scales for passage, but the push for reforms is stronger than ever. As the clock ticks down, this could force real privacy wins or let the whole thing lapse.