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                      US Senate Votes on Surveillance Bill

   by Michael Bowman

   The U.S. Senate is holding a series of votes Tuesday to reform and
   restart the bulk collection of Americans' telephone records.The program
   is one of several anti-terrorism tools that expired earlier this week.

   The [1]USA Freedom Act mandates the storage of phone logs by
   telecommunications companies rather than the National Security Agency.
   The Senate's Republican leadership wants to amend the bill to give it
   more start-up time and secure assurances that, once in place, it works
   as intended.

   But two high-ranking members of the House Judiciary Committee,
   Republican chairman Bob Goodlatte and ranking Democrat John Conyers,
   issued a statement Monday rejecting the amendments.

   "These amendments only serve to weaken the House-passed bill and
   postpone timely enactment of legislation that responsibly protects
   national security while enhancing civil liberty protections," wrote
   Goodlatte and Conyers.  They warned the full House would not accept the
   changes if they are approved by the Senate, which would permanently end
   several provisions of the U.S. Patriot Act, passed by Congress after
   the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, that allowed the government's
   domestic surveillance program.
   Changes could torpedo bill
   Any changes could torpedo the bill, seen as the last best chance to
   preserve what the Obama administration sees as vital national security
   programs.
   The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the USA Freedom
   Act last month, and key members say an amended bill would not pass the
   chamber.
   Obama has come out in support of the House's version of the USA Freedom
   Act. White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Monday the
   legislative standoff has introduced unnecessary risk for the United
   States.

   The telephone data collection from millions of calls was first revealed
   two years ago by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, now living in
   asylum in Russia. It included phone numbers, the dates and duration of
   calls, but not the content.

   Without the new authorization, the NSA also has been forced to at least
   temporarily shut down two other programs, including a "lone wolf"
   tracking provision that has never been used and a roaming wiretap
   program.
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   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/us-senate-votes-on-surveillance-bill/
   2804267.html

References

   1. http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/usa-freedom-act
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-senate-votes-on-surveillance-bill/2804267.html