washington u.s. intelligence community soon disclose estimate number americans whose electronic communications catch crosshairs online surveillance program intend foreigners u.s. lawmakers say letter see reuters friday estimate request members u.s. house representatives judiciary committee expect make public early next month letter say disclosure would come congress expect begin debate come months whether reauthorize reform so-called surveillance authority know section 702 provision add foreign intelligence surveillance act 2008 timely production information incredibly important inform debate section 702 next congress— without even us incline support reauthorization would reason concern say letter sign 11 lawmakers members house judiciary committee letter send friday national intelligence director jam clapper say office national security agency nsa officials already brief congressional staff intelligence community intend comply disclosure request clapper office confirm letter receive decline comment lawmakers term letter effort memorialize understand intelligence community plan provide estimate real number percentages soon january share public government long hold calculate number americans subject section 702 surveillance might technically impossible would require privacy intrusions exceed raise actual surveillance program originally intend counter foreign espionage intelligence officials say online data americans incidentally collect section 702 due range technical practical reason critics assail collection back-door surveillance americans without warrant section 702 expire dec. 31 2017 absent congressional action enable two internet surveillance program call prism upstream reveal series leak former nsa contractor edward snowden three years ago prism gather message data alphabet inc google facebook microsoft apple major tech company send foreign target surveillance upstream allow nsa copy web traffic flow along internet backbone locate inside unite state search data certain term associate target clapper step next month suggest april provide estimate americans surveilled section 702 figure say could tally millions might possible defend law prolific producer critical intelligence republicans jam sensenbrenner darrell issa ted poe jason chaffetz sign letter addition democrats john conyers jerrold nadler zoe lofgren hank johnson ted deutch suzan delbene david cicilline u.s. disclose estimate number americans surveillance