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HR 2586 113th Congress House Law Congressional oversight Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information Judges Judicial procedure and administration Specialized courts

FISA Court Accountability Act

Introduced: July 11, 2013 Introduced by: Cohen, Steve Democratic · Tennessee See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 15, 2013
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Jun 28, 2013
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jun 28, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

FISA Court Accountability Act - Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to require the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to consist of 11 publicly designated district court judges, of whom 3 judges are designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and 2 judges each are designated, respectively, by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, and the majority and minority leaders of the Senate. (Currently, the Chief Justice designates all 11 judges.)

Requires any authority exercised by the court en banc (consisting of all judges who constitute the court when an en banc proceeding is ordered by a majority of the judges in certain circumstances) to be exercised only when agreed to by at least 60% of the judges sitting en banc.

Directs the Chief Justice, the Speaker, and the majority leader of the Senate (or, if the majority leader is a member of the same political party as the Speaker, the minority leader of the Senate) to each publicly designate one judge from the U.S. district courts or courts of appeals who together shall comprise the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review. (Currently, the Chief Justice designates all three of such judges.) Allows such court to decide in favor of the government only if the decision of the reviewing judges is unanimous.

Directs the Attorney General (DOJ) to submit to Congress a copy of any decision, order, or opinion issued by each court (currently, only those issuances with a significant construction or interpretation of FISA) along with an unclassified summary of each such decision, order, or opinion.

What's happening now July 15, 2013

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2586: FISA Court Accountability Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-2586/
MLA
"H.R. 2586: FISA Court Accountability Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-2586/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2586, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-2586/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2586: FISA Court Accountability Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-2586/)
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