Surveillance expansionMar 12, 2026
Bipartisan bill would require warrants for Section 702 searches and data-broker purchases (S.4082)
Senators Ron Wyden and Mike Lee, with House members from both parties, introduced a bill that would require a warrant before the government searches Americans' communications collected under Section 702 or buys their data from data brokers. It would also require warrants for location, web browsing, chatbot and car data. It has not moved out of committee.
Introduced March 12, 2026 by Wyden and Lee, with Senators Warren and Lummis as cosponsors; the House companion (H.R. 7901) is from Reps. Davidson and Lofgren. It requires warrants for Section 702 searches of Americans; bans data-broker purchases without a warrant; bans reverse targeting; repeals the 2024 "make everyone a spy" expansion of who can be compelled to help with surveillance; and requires warrants for location data, web browsing, search and chatbot records, and car telematics. EPIC is among the groups supporting it. It is still in the Senate Judiciary Committee, with no floor action found.
How we know: Wyden's release and GovTrack's bill page read directly (Oct 3, 2026). Congress.gov blocks scripted downloads, so its page is linked but was not read this pass. Status unchanged: referred to Senate Judiciary.