Wyoming

Hageman Votes Against Bill To Allow Warrantless Spying On Americans

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2024

Hageman Votes Against Bill To Allow Warrantless Spying On Americans

Wyoming U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman voted Friday against continuing to allow the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct searches of Americans’ information without a warrant.

Hageman voted against a bill reauthorizing a part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) known as Section 702, which national security officials say is critical to fighting terrorism.

Despite her vote, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act still passed 273-147.

When an amendment failed that would have required the FBI to get warrants before surveilling American citizens, Hageman said House Resolution 7888 lost all ability to prevent the federal government from spying on Americans. The amendment died on a 212-212 tie.

“I refuse to support legislation that violates our Constitutional rights,” Hageman said in a Friday press release after the vote.

In a C-SPAN interview Thursday, Hageman said it’s important that Section 702 be reauthorized, as she believes it’s an important tool for American security. But she only wants this done if it comes with necessary reforms to protect American citizens from undue intrusions.

Section 702 allows the government to collect from U.S. companies like AT&T and Google the messages of foreigners who have been targeted for foreign intelligence or counterterrorism without a warrant, even when they are communicating with Americans, which is the source of most of its controversy.

Hageman has constantly criticized some of America’s intelligence agencies for what she sees as an abuse and overreach of their powers to target people these organizations see as political adversaries.

“The reality is that the FBI and other agencies have been abusing Section 702,” she said.

Weaponization

Some of the issues Hageman has publicly addressed include the FBI and DOJ’s pressure campaign on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic, the targeting of certain Catholics, people attending school board meetings, and the charges brought against former President Donald Trump.

This week, Trump implored lawmakers to “kill” FISA, complaining that government officials had used it to spy on him.

The office of the Director for National Intelligence found that in 2021, the FBI conducted 3.3 million queries into U.S. citizens without warrants. By 2022, the FBI was still conducting hundreds of warrantless queries per day. Last May, the Washington Post reported that in 2020 and early 2021, the FBI conducted more than 278,000 searches of the 702 database, which violated DOJ rules and often lacked national security connections.

Some of the searches on Americans have included queries on Black Lives Matter protestors and people suspected of participating in the U.S. Capitol riot in January 2021.

According to The New York Times, national security officials argue removing the ability to surveil Americans without warrants could hinder their program as they typically spy on Americans early on in investigations to learn more about their phone numbers or email accounts in connection with a suspected foreign spy or terrorist before there is enough evidence collected to issue a warrant.

The Times also reports that the FBI has since tightened its system to reduce the risk of queries that violate its own standards, changes the bill will codify into law, as well as adding reporting requirements and limiting the number of officials with access to raw information.

“Hopefully, we can get to the place where we have the necessary reforms to make sure that the FBI and Department of Justice cannot do what it’s been doing over the last several years,” Hageman said.

Specifically, Hageman said she wants a warrant requirement for all surveillance of Americans, an effort also supported by some Democrats like Zoe Lofgren of California.

As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Hageman has already helped bring reforms on this issue such as legislation addressing what she sees as abuses of FISA, while still allowing it to be used to detect international threats.

She said the real hurdle has been finding agreement between this committee, the House Permanent Select Committee On Intelligence, and the overall intelligence community.

Bigger Picture

But Hageman also stressed on C-SPAN that she finds the overall debate about surveillance rights extremely worthy and a valuable piece of a larger conversation about how far the power of intelligence communities can extend in relation to American civil liberties and the U.S. Constitution.

“I land on the side of civil liberties,” she said. “I want to make sure we’re protecting the constitutional rights of American citizens.”

Hageman said Thursday she is confident the issue will be resolved before Section 702 expires.

But even if Section 702 is allowed to expire April 19, Hageman said she’s not concerned, and believes America’s intelligence agencies will still be able to do their jobs despite lacking the guarantee of a future database to conduct warrantless surveillance searches. Last week, the FISA court granted a government request authorizing it for another year through April 2025.

Under the law, surveillance activity can continue as long as there are active court orders allowing it, even if it expires itself.

Some far-right members of Congress like Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Georgia, have called for the removal of House Speaker Mike Johnson over his push to resolve the issue.

In an effort to salvage a compromise, Johnson on Friday put forward a shorter extension proposal for Section 702, from five to two years, a move that appeared to win over many Republicans with the possibility that Trump may be president again at that time.

Hageman said on C-SPAN she still fully supports the speaker and doesn’t find this division significant.

“The fact is Republicans don’t ever walk in lockstep, that’s one of the reasons we’re Republicans,” she said. “We’re very independent-minded and independent thinkers. I think that’s in contrast to a lot of Democrats.”

The bill will next move on to the Senate for consideration.

Leo Wolfson can be reached at Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com.

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Wyoming

NWSR issues Flood Watch advisory for portions of Central, Northwest Wyoming

Published

11 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Press Room

NWSR issues Flood Watch advisory for portions of Central, Northwest Wyoming

The National Weather Service in Riverton has issued a Flood Watch advisory for portions of central and northwest Wyoming, including Owl Creek, the Bridger Mountains, the Southwest Bighorn Basin, the Absaroka Mountains, and the Cody Foothills. This includes the cities of Cody, Thermopolis, Meeteetse, and Clark, and many areas near or partially in Fremont County. […]

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Wyoming

Wyoming Rodeo Stars Set for National High School Finals

Published

23 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Rodeo Stars Set for National High School Finals

The 78th National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) starts on Sunday, July 19, in Lincoln, Nebraska, and goes through Saturday, July 25, 2026. There are 12 rodeo performances across the seven days, with six in the first round and six in the second round. The top 20 cowboys and cowgirls return to the championship short round at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 25. Wyoming has 51 contestants competing across the 13 rodeo events, plus light rifle and trap shooting.

WYOMING RODEO ATHLETES OPEN COMPETITION AT NHSFR

Yoder’s Hadley Thompson was the All-Around Cowgirl at the 2025 NHSFR. She won national titles in the breakaway roping and goat last year in Rock Springs. Wyoming finished 11th in the team standings last year with 3,750.00 team points. The Cowboy State’s girls placed sixth, and the boys were 25th. Thompson also had the AQHA Horse of the Year for Cowgirls in CD Smokin Miss Kitty. Emeree Tavegie was sixth in pole bending.

The daily rodeo performances are at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. The first go ends after Wednesday morning’s performance, while the second go ends after Saturday morning’s performance.

Wyoming State High School Finals Rodeo Results & NHSFR Qualifiers 2026

Wyoming’s contestants and events with their draw

Ryley Alameda – Reined Cow Horse (Mon AM, Thurs PM)

Wade Asay – Reined Cow Horse (Tues PM, Wed AM)

Claire Bilek – Girls Cutting (Mon AM, Fri PM)

Kolton Bonenberger – Bull Riding (Mon PM, Fri AM)

Jace Bowles – Team Roping (Mon AM, Fri PM)

Cooper Brownlee – Shooting Rifle and Shooting Trap

Blue Butler – Breakaway Roping (Mon AM, Fri PM); Goat Tying (Wed AM, Wed PM)

Kolbe Chant – Tie-Down Roping (Sun PM, Sat AM)

Heston Crozier – Shooting Trap

Blake Cushman – Pole Bending (Sun PM, Sat AM)

Karly Davis – Barrel Racing (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Teague Duncan – Saddle Bronc (Tues PM, Thurs AM)

Memphis Erdman – Shooting Rifle

Hays Espenscheid – Team Roping (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Kendrie Ewing – Barrel Racing (Wed AM, Wed PM)

Ellie Feathers – Shooting Rifle

Kashley Fornstrom – Barrel Racing (Tues PM, Thurs AM)

Kade Fraley – Saddle Bronc (Mon PM, Fri AM)

Landon Gold – Team Roping (Sun PM, Sat AM); Steer Wrestling (Wed AM, Wed PM)

Teague Goodman – Steer Wrestling (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Tanner Griemsman – Team Roping (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Cody Hayden – Boys Cutting (Mon AM, Fri PM)

Rhame Hicks – Goat Tying (Sun PM, Sat AM)

Stone Hooten – Shooting Trap

Coe Hornbuckle – Barrel Racing (Wed AM, Wed PM)

Carter Hutchison – Steer Wrestling (Tues PM, Thurs AM); Tie-Down Roping (Sun PM, Sat AM); Reined Cow Horse (Mon AM, Thurs AM)

Kress Johnson – Team Roping (Mon AM, Fri PM)

Taylor Kimzey – Shooting Rifle

Emma Martin – Pole Bending (Mon PM, Fri AM)

Bella Martinson – Breakaway Roping (Mon PM, Fri AM)

Anna McQueeney – Girls Cutting (Sun PM, Sat AM)

Raden Miller – Steer Wrestling (Mon AM, Fri PM)

Taten Mills – Team Roping (Mon PM, Fri AM)

Owen Monfeldt – Bull Riding (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Ashtyn Noland – Reined Cow Horse (Mon PM, Thurs AM)

Keon Norris – Bareback Riding (Tues PM, Thurs AM)

Riggin Pearce – Bull Riding (Tues PM, Thurs AM)

Bridger Peil – Tie-Down Roping (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Karly Peterson – Girls Cutting (Mon PM, Fri AM)

Nathan Peterson – Boys Cutting (Tues PM, Thurs AM)

Trenton Rogers – Bareback Riding (Wed AM, Wed PM)

Rickie Jo Rourke – Goat Tying (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Tuf Scarborough – Saddle Bronc (Sun PM, Sat AM)

Ty Scarborough – Saddle Bronc (Wed AM, Wed PM)

Stetson St. Clair – Bull Riding (Wed AM, Wed PM); Team Roping (Sun PM, Sat AM)

Whitney Tarver – Team Roping (Mon PM, Fri AM)

Emeree Tavegie – Pole Bending (Mon AM, Fri PM)

Dylan Thar – Breakaway Roping (Tues AM, Thurs PM)

Hadley Thompson – Breakaway Roping (Mon AM, Fri PM); Pole Bending (Tues PM, Thurs AM); Goat Tying (Wed AM, Wed PM)

Cruz Viles – Team Roping (Mon AM, Fri PM)

Tuf Weber – Shooting Trap

The Light Rifle competition is on Tuesday, July 21, and the Short Go is on Wednesday, July 22 at 1:30 p.m. The Trap Shooting competition is on Thursday, July 23, and the Short Go is on Friday, July 24 at 8 a.m. The Reined Cow Horse event will start on Monday, July 20, and go through Thursday, July 23, each day at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Reined Cow Horse Championship Short Go is on Friday at 4 p.m. The Cutting Events start on Sunday at 7 p.m., then will run at 9 a.m. from Monday through Friday. The 12th Cutting performance is Saturday, July 25 at 8 a.m. The Cutting Championship Short Go is on Saturday at 2 p.m.