Litigation

Another Extension Ahead for Patriot Act?

By Peter Hardin

Congress appears poised once again to punt on renewing key sections of the USA Patriot Act.

When Senate Democrats could not muster the 60 votes needed to advance new privacy protections to the counterterrorism law, they retreated,  and the Senate passed a one-year extension of three key provisions that were set to expire, according to the Associated Press. The House was expected to take up the extension soon.

Set aside in the Senate “were restrictions and greater scrutiny on the government’s authority to spy on Americans and seize their records,” the AP reported. Republicans contended terror investigations would be weakened by the changes.

You can read more about debate over renewing the legislation in earlier Gavel Grab posts.

Full post as published by The Gavel on February 25, 2010 (boomark / email).