WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, March 12, 2026, U.S. Representatives Warren Davidson (R-OH-08) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), along with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Lee (R-UT), introduced the Government Surveillance Reform Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill to reauthorize and reform Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and enact sweeping reforms to protect Americans’ constitutional right to privacy.

The bill is cosponsored by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).
 
“FISA Section 702 has been stretched far beyond its original purpose and now enables unconstitutional warrantless searches of American citizens and their private communications,” said Congressman Warren Davidson. “The bipartisan Government Surveillance Reform Act counters these abuses by requiring a warrant to search Americans’ data and by closing the data broker loophole that allows the federal government to spy on citizens by purchasing private data that would otherwise require a warrant or subpoena.”
 
“Advances in technology, from AI to the explosion of Americans’ data available for purchase, have far outpaced the laws protecting Americans’ privacy and civil liberties,” Senator Wyden said. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill as a leader of the Ben Franklin caucus, which stands for the proposition that liberty and security aren’t mutually exclusive.”
 
“It is imperative that Congress enact real reforms to protect our civil liberties, including warrant requirements and statutory penalties for privacy violations, in exchange for reauthorizing Section 702,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Our bipartisan Government Surveillance Reform Act stops illegal government spying and restores the Constitutional rights of all Americans.”  
 
“Now more than ever, unchecked government access to Americans’ personal information threatens their privacy, their civil liberties, and our democracy,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren. “Congress should not reauthorize broad domestic surveillance authorities without putting meaningful safeguards in place. The bipartisan, bicameral Government Surveillance Reform Act offers a comprehensive and balanced solution that would prevent abuse of Americans' personal information while preserving essential national security tools that keep our country safe.”
 
Section 702 of FISA allows the government to conduct foreign surveillance for security threats without individual court orders. However, these authorities have strayed from their original anti-terrorism intent, and instead, allow the government to search Americans' private communications—such as internet activity, phone records, texts, photos, and additional digital metadata—without obtaining warrants.

The Government Surveillance Reform Act would represent the most comprehensive reform of surveillance laws in nearly half a century. The bill reauthorizes Section 702 for four years with necessary privacy reforms and constitutional safeguards, including:

• Closing the backdoor search loophole: The bill requires the federal government to get a warrant to access Americans’ private communications gathered under Section 702, with important exceptions for emergency situations.
• Closing the data broker loophole: The bill bans the federal government from buying Americans’ data from data brokers without a warrant.
• Prohibiting reverse targeting: The bill prohibits using surveillance on foreigners overseas through Section 702 as a pretext for gathering data on Americans.
• Repealing the “make everyone a spy” provision: This bill repeals a controversial 2024 expansion that allows the government to force millions of Americans and companies to secretly spy on its behalf.
• Reforming intelligence collection outside FISA: This bill protects Americans from intelligence agencies using non-statutory authorities, including by prohibiting backdoor searches and reverse targeting outside of FISA.
• Updating privacy protections for AI and other modern technologies: This bill requires federal law enforcement to get a warrant to surveil Americans’ location information, web browsing data, search and chatbot records, and car onboard and telematics data.
• Enhancing oversight and accountability: The bill strengthens judicial oversight, public reporting, and accountability requirements under FISA.

 
Alex Marthews, National Chair at Restore the Fourth: "The Government Surveillance Reform Act contains critical reforms to protect U.S. persons from unreasonable and warrantless government surveillance. It would rein in AI-driven misuse of NSA classified databases to spy on U.S. persons without probable cause or a warrant; it would make much less likely that Americans would be harassed or prosecuted on the basis of poor-quality data held on them by data brokers; and it would make it easier for people unfairly surveilled to get redress from the courts. We warmly encourage the Judiciary Committees in the House and the Senate to mark up a bill that takes the best parts of this bill, Senator Lee's and Senator Durbin's SAFE Act and Rep. Biggs' Protect Liberty Act, before the sunset of these authorities in April."

Bob Goodlatte, former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and Senior Policy Advisor to the Project for Privacy and Surveillance Accountability: “PPSA commends Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Warren Davidson, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren for reintroducing the Government Surveillance Reform Act – a comprehensive surveillance reform bill that balances national security with Americans’ constitutional and privacy rights.

“The GSRA leaves in place the authorities needed to protect the American people from foreign threats, while reforming abusive government surveillance practices directed at Americans.

“It requires a warrant before the government can use FISA Section 702 to surveil Americans, it restricts the government’s warrantless acquisition of Americans’ sensitive personal information from shady data brokers, and it brings needed reforms to the procedures of the secret FISA Court.

“This balanced and comprehensive bill enjoys bipartisan and bicameral support because Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are alarmed by the abusive and pervasive surveillance of the American people by their own government. This well-crafted legislation should be included in the reauthorization of FISA Section 702 in April.”

James Czerniawski, Head of Emerging Technology Policy at Consumer Choice Center: “For years, the U.S. intelligence community has repeatedly misused its authorities under FISA, including Section 702, as well as other surveillance powers, undermining public trust and raising concerns across the political spectrum. Protecting constitutional rights and protecting national security are not opposing goals. We applaud the reintroduction of the Government Surveillance Reform Act, a bipartisan path forward that brings back a comprehensive package of reforms. This package responsibly reins in warrantless surveillance while preserving the tools needed to keep Americans safe. We commend Senators Wyden and Lee, along with Representatives Davidson and Lofgren, for once again leading this cross-party effort to advance essential, rights-protecting reforms.”

John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice: “Reform of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is long overdue. The federal government has used this provision to engage in mass warrantless surveillance and collection of Americans' international phone calls, emails, text messages, and other communications with little oversight or accountability. Asian Americans often encounter disproportionate amounts of scrutiny framed as ‘national security’. The Government Surveillance Reform Act of 2026 is a critical step in regulating the collection of Americans’ most sensitive and private information.”

Jeramie D. Scott, Senior Counsel and Director of the EPIC Surveillance Oversight Program: "The Government Surveillance Reform Act includes critical protections for our privacy and our data in an increasingly vulnerable digital world. As technology advances, so too must our laws to ensure that we secure the values enshrined in our Constitution. Our spy agencies should not turn warrantless surveillance systems inward to invade Americans’ communications, and they shouldn’t sidestep the Fourth Amendment by purchasing our sensitive information from data brokers. Our values and our Constitution demand our privacy and civil liberties be protected and EPIC is proud to support a bill that does just that.”

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