Renewal of controversial FISA program in limbo ahead of Thursday deadline

Washington — A powerful surveillance authority the U.S. government uses to spy on foreigners is in limbo as a stalemate in the House threatens to derail its renewal ahead of its expiration this week. The controversial spy tool, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, is set to lapse Thursday after Congress approved a 10-day extension ahead of the original April 20 deadline. Votes were expected in the House on Tuesday, but the measure — which is formatted as an amendment to an unrelated bill — did not advance out of the Rules Committee until the evening. GOP leaders eventually canceled votes for the day, pushing floor consideration to Wednesday. The measure faces a key test around 10:30 a.m., when the House is expected to hold a party-line procedural vote on a rule, which sets up debate and clears the way for a simple majority vote on passage. GOP leaders' decision to merge two other pieces of legislation related to farm aid and immigration funding under the same rule as the spy powers measure has further frustrated some Republicans. Section 702, which was first authorized in 2008, allows the government to collect the communications of noncitizens located outside the U.S. without a warrant, though it can also sweep up the data of Americans who are in contact with the targeted foreigners. The FBI is able to search Americans' data gathered through the program without a warrant. …