2018: Schweikert Voted To Reauthorize The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. In January 2018, Schweikert voted for legislation that according to Congressional Quarterly, "would reauthorize for six years, through 2023, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which governs electronic surveillance of foreign terrorism suspects. The bill would reauthorize Section 702 surveillance authorities on foreign targets, and would require the development of procedures for searching the Section 702 database that would protect the Fourth Amendment rights of U.S. citizens. The bill would prohibit the FBI from accessing information without an order from the secret FISA court in certain cases. The measure would increase penalties for the unauthorized removal of classified documents or information." The House passed the legislation by a vote of 256 to 164. The Senate later agreed to the bill and President Trump signed it into law. [House Vote 16, 1/11/18; Congressional Quarterly, 1/11/18; Congressional Actions, S. 139]
2018: Schweikert Voted To Require FBI And Intelligence Agents Receive A Warrant To Look Through The Section 702 Database For Information About U.S. Citizens That Was Gathered When Collecting Information On Non-Americans. In January 2018, Schweikert voted for an amendment that would have, according to the New York Times, "imposed a series of new safeguards. That proposal included a requirement that officials obtain warrants in most cases before hunting for, and reading, emails and other messages of Americans that were swept up under the surveillance. Supporters of those changes contended that the overhaul was needed to preserve Fourth Amendment privacy rights in the internet era. But intelligence and law enforcement officials argued that it was unnecessary, and dangerous, to limit security officials from being able to freely gain access to information the government already possessed." The underlying legislation reauthorized FISA. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 183 to 233. [House Vote 14, 1/11/18; Congressional Quarterly, 1/11/18; New York Times, 1/11/18; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 510; Congressional Actions, S. 139]