Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi pulled a bill Thursday from the floor to reauthorize parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) program.
“At the request of the Speaker of the House, I am withdrawing consideration of the FISA Act. The two-thirds of the Republican party that voted for this bill in March have indicated they are going to vote against it now,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said in a statement Thursday morning.
President Donald Trump speaks at the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House April 20, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump sent out a tweet Wednesday night saying, “If the FISA Bill is passed tonight on the House floor, I will quickly VETO it. Our Country has just suffered through the greatest political crime in its history. The massive abuse of FISA was a big part of it!”
Hours later, Pelosi canceled the vote. “Members are advised that votes are no longer expected in the House tonight,” Hoyer’s office said Wednesday night. (RELATED: Trump Urges House Republicans To Vote Against Spy Tool Used To Snoop On His Campaign)
After hearing, Democrats pulled the FISA bill, Trump sent out a tweet Thursday morning thanking Republicans for blocking the legislation.
Thank you to our GREAT Republican Congressmen & Congresswomen on your incredibly important blockage last night of a FISA Bill that would just perpetuate the abuse that produced the Greatest Political Crime In the History of the U.S., the Russian Witch-Hunt. Fantastic Job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020
Pelosi will now have to figure out Democrats’ next move on the FISA bill and then schedule a vote.