NSA director pushes Congress to renew surveillance powers

By NOMAAN MERCHANT and ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top U.S. intelligence official is urging Congress to renew sweeping powers granted to American spy agencies to surveil and examine communications. Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, the director of the National Security Agency, is opening what will likely be a contentious debate over provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Nakasone argued on Thursday that “we have saved lives” because of FISA’s Section 702. But the bipartisan consensus in favor of expanded surveillance authorities in the years after Sept. 11 has given way to increased skepticism, especially among Republicans who believe those powers were wielded against former President Donald Trump.