House GOP considers backup FISA plan to sunset spy tool after stunning floor defeat

House Republicans are regrouping and considering a two-year sunset on a key surveillance law as a way to move forward on reauthorizing security measures after a group of hard-line Republicans effectively killed a procedural rule in a blow to House leaders ahead of next week’s deadline.

The “no” votes of 19 hard-line House Republicans and all Democrats sent House GOP leadership back to the drawing board to find consensus on how to go about renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which sunsets every five years.

To get people on board and pass FISA reauthorization ahead of its April 19 expiration date, Republicans are now considering a two-year reauthorization, multiple House lawmakers told the Washington Examiner.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) told the Washington Examiner that he thinks both a two-year reauthorization and a stand-alone vote on an amendment from Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) might unite the conference and allow both the rule and the legislation itself to pass the next time around.