Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley called on April 14 for a clean, 18-month extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) after the Department of Justice agreed to revise its procedures regarding congressional attendance at Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court proceedings.
The issue is important because Section 702 is considered a key national security tool. Grassley said that with Congress’s access restored, the Trump administration has demonstrated transparency and commitment to civil liberties. “I applaud DOJ for lifting its restrictions on congressional oversight of FISC and FISCR proceedings. With Congress’s access fully restored, the Trump administration has faithfully implemented the reforms Congress called for in its last FISA reauthorization and proven its commitment to transparency and the protection of civil liberties,” Grassley said. He also added, “Section 702 is one of our nation’s most valuable national security tools. Especially given the current threat environment, it’s imperative Congress doesn’t allow this critical authority to lapse. We must ensure American lives aren’t put at risk by a potential Section 702 expiration on April 20. The best path forward is for the House to pass a clean, 18-month FISA extension.”
The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA), signed into law in April 2024, required select members of Congress and staff be allowed oversight access to court proceedings under FISA. However, in November that year, new Department of Justice policies limited this access through additional procedures that restricted attendance and documentation rights.
According to Grassley’s office official website, he serves on key Senate committees with an emphasis on bipartisan collaboration and pragmatic policymaking. He has been Iowa’s longest-serving U.S. senator while also remaining active as one of only two farmers in the Senate who raise corn and soybeans in Butler County.
Following criticism from lawmakers including Grassley and Senator Dick Durbin over these restrictions, DOJ agreed to remove provisions excluding members or staff from certain proceedings; eliminate barriers preventing requests for information; permit sharing information with cleared individuals; support overflow space if courtrooms are full; allow staff attendance alongside their member; lift prohibitions on note taking; and affirm protections related to whistleblower disclosures.
Section 702 allows intelligence collection targeting foreign nationals outside the United States but does not permit targeting Americans’ communications directly under this authority. A recent Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board report found that Section 702 provides significant privacy protections compared with other programs in U.S history—while RISAA reforms have improved safeguards further.
According to the official website, Grassley’s background includes degrees in political science from University of Northern Iowa as well as experience working as a sheet metal shearer before serving in both state legislature (1958–1974) and federal government roles.