50 U.S.C. § 1811 : War And National Defense — Foreign Intelligence Surveillance — Electronic Surveillance — Authorization During Time Of War Date: 7 Mar 2017 TEXT PDF Notwithstanding any other law, the President, through the Attorney General, may authorize electronic surveillance without a court order under this subchapter to acquire foreign intelligence information for a period not to exceed fifteen calendar days following a declaration of war by the Congress. (Pub. L. 95–511, title I, § 111, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1796.)