House drops FBI surveillance bill, restarts talks

WASHINGTON — Democrats on Thursday pulled legislation from the House floor to extend FBI surveillance authorities after President Donald Trump and Republicans turned against the measure and ensured its defeat.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said there would be a new round of talks with the Senate over the expired powers the FBI considers vital in fighting terrorism. The House later voted 284-122 to officially start those negotiations.

A bill renewing those authorities passed the Senate with 80 votes earlier this month, and it appeared on track for easy passage. The House had overwhelmingly supported a similar measure in March with the support of 126 Republicans. That bill was a compromise worked out between the two parties and Attorney General William Barr.

But the compromise crumbled this week as Trump threatened a veto and House Republicans who had once voted for the bill quickly followed his lead.

Pelosi criticized Republicans for the about-face, noting that some were praising the legislation as recently as Wednesday morning.

House Republican Leader Kevin Mccarthy said he supported the move to renew talks, saying that was “the appropriate thing to do.”

In threatening a veto, Trump cited his frustration with surveillance practices during the Russia investigation.

On Twitter Thursday, Trump praised “GREAT Republican Congressmen & Congresswomen” who blocked the 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!”