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House Fails To Extend Patriot Act Spy Powers

Posted by Roblimo on from the patriotism-versus-freedom-chapter-85,672 dept.

schwit1 writes "The House failed to extend three key expiring provisions of the Patriot Act on Tuesday, elements granting the government broad and nearly unchecked surveillance power on its own public. The failure of the bill, sponsored by Rep. James F. Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis), for the time being is likely to give airtime to competing measures in the Senate that would place limited checks on the act's broad surveillance powers. The White House, meanwhile, said it wanted the expiring measures extended through 2013."

4 of 284 comments (clear)

  1. Re:good job Republicans! by AdmiralXyz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Save your praise: most of the Republicans actually supported extension. It only failed by seven votes, and that because almost every Democrat and some of the Tea Party newcomers opposed it.

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  2. Re:good job Republicans! by odd42 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Good job Republicans! Wow, never thought I'd say that.. Well, after being in power for 17 of the last 20 years, it's about time you did something right.

    Um... 90% of Repubs voted FOR extending it...! http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll026.xml

  3. Re:good job Republicans! by besalope · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's the vote list:

    http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll026.xml

    Key Stats:

    Republicans:
    Yea: 210
    Nay: 26

    Democrats:
    Yea: 67
    Nay: 122

    Republicans killed the bill my ass.

  4. Re:Minority government by Third+Position · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well, don't start celebrating yet. This was lost only due to being submitted under a special procedure that require 2/3 majority approval. If it gets resubmitted under the standard procedure requiring only a majority approval, it has more than enough votes to pass.

    Unfortunately, I expect this to be a short lived victory.

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