This act was signed into law in 2007 to “restore FISA to its original focus … while not acting as an obstacle to gathering foreign intelligence on targets located in foreign countries.” As an amendment to FISA, it removed the warrant requirement for government surveillance of foreign agents and “Americans communicating with foreigners who are the targets of a US terrorism investigation.”

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP/File
President Bush walks out of the Oval Office to the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Feb. 14, 2008, to speak on the "Protect America Act."