House Republicans pushed Tuesday for a two-week extension of a temporary law granting broad federal wiretapping authority that is set to expire Feb. 1.

Lamar Smith of Texas, ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said he believed an agreement to move a two-week extension would avoid the veto threat lodged by the White House against a Democratic proposal for a 30-day extension of the law.

The Senate is still debating a longer-term overhaul of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, but is unlikely to pass that measure before the current law expires. And the House departs for the week at the end of Tuesday’s business.

Smith declined to discuss details of the FISA negotiations. But GOP aides said Republicans wanted a two-week extension. “We are being told the White House would not veto a two-week extension,” said a senior House Republican.

“We can’t allow the law to expire,” said Elton Gallegly , R-Calif. He said if negotiations collapse, many Republicans would probably vote in favor of a 30-day extension of the current law.

Minority Whip Roy Blunt , R-Mo., criticized Democrats for not completing work on a permanent expansion of the FISA law.

But many Democrats oppose the Senate bill, which is backed by the White House, because of a provision granting retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies being sued for their alleged role in the National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program. Senate Republicans have blocked consideration of amendments to strip the immunity and make other changes they said would upset a delicate bipartisan compromise.

On the Senate floor, Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., mentioned the possibility of a 14-day extension and tried to blame Republicans for the delays on completing action on the FISA bill.

“If it expires, it is on the shoulders of the White House and the Republicans in the Senate,” Reid said.