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S 218 98th Congress Senate

A bill to amend certain provisions of title 18, United States Code, relating to the procedures for interception of wire or oral communications.

Introduced: January 27, 1983 See on congress.gov
Crime and Law Enforcement Civil Rights and LibertiesCommunications and BroadcastingCriminal procedureCriminal procedure and sentencing
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Electronic surveillanceRight of privacySearches and seizuresTelephone
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This bill died when the 98th Congress ended
It never became law before the 98th Congress (1983–1984) 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 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 17, 1983
Committee on Judiciary received executive comment from Office of the U.S. Attorney General.
Feb 28, 1983
Committee on Judiciary requested executive comment from Office of the U.S. Attorney General.
Feb 22, 1983
Referred to Subcommittee on Criminal Law.
Jan 27, 1983
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Jan 27, 1983
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action May 17, 1983

Committee on Judiciary received executive comment from Office of the U.S. Attorney General.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Amends the Federal criminal code to impose additional procedural requirements for the interception of communications where surreptitious entry is required.

Requires the application for an order to state why other means of effecting the interception appear unlikely to succeed, or are too dangerous or impracticable. Requires the court to determine whether surreptitious entry reasonably appears to be required and, if so, to specifically authorize such entry.

Allows the interception of communications without a court order in emergency situations involving immediate danger of death or serious injury to any person (current law limits it to conspiracies involving national security or organized crime).

Directs an authorizing judge to report orders approving surreptitious entries to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Grassley, Chuck
Iowa · Jan 27, 1983
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 218: A bill to amend certain provisions of title 18, United States Code, relating to the procedures for interception of wire or oral communications.. 98th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-218/
MLA
"S. 218: A bill to amend certain provisions of title 18, United States Code, relating to the procedures for interception of wire or oral communications.." 98th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-218/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 218, 98th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-218/.
Markdown link
[S. 218: A bill to amend certain provisions of title 18, United States Code, relating to the procedures for interception of wire or oral communications.](https://openamerica.io/bill/98-S-218/)
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