WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate blocked an extension early Friday of a key surveillance program used by U.S. intelligence agencies as concerns mounted over President Donald Trump’s selection of federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte to serve as director of national intelligence.Some Republicans joined Democrats in the 47-52 vote against a a procedural motion that would have set up a final vote on the extension next week, complicating efforts to extend the critical program before it expires on June 12. The vote came after an overnight session on separate legislation funding immigration enforcement agencies.Senate Majority Leader John Thune said following the vote that the Senate “will take another run at it” next week but that Democrats’ opposition is a “terribly irresponsible position.”“The naming of Pulte to that position, although the timing arguably wasn’t the best, I still don’t think it ought to derail something that’s this important,” Thune said.
The vote marked the latest setback for Trump and intelligence officials, who have spent months pushing to extend a key provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allows agencies such as the CIA, National Security Agency and FBI to collect communications from foreign targets without a warrant.
