Key US spy tool will lapse at year’s end unless Congress and the White House can cut a deal

By ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — With just seven weeks until the end of the year, the Biden administration is running out of time to win the reauthorization of a spy program it says is vital to preventing terrorism, catching spies and disrupting cyberattacks. The tool is called Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It’s set to expire at the end of December unless the White House and Congress can cut a deal. Administration officials warn that without the program, the government won’t be able to collect crucial intelligence overseas. But civil liberties advocates insist that changes are needed before the program is reauthorized.