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Patriot Act Spy Powers To Expire As Rand Paul Blocks USA Freedom Act Vote

Posted by timothy on from the on-paper-at-least dept.

Saturday, we mentioned that three major spying powers that the U.S. government has exercised under the Patriot Act might be nixed, as the sections of the Act granting authority to use them expires. The Daily Dot reports that Senator (and presidential contender) Rand Paul today used Senate rules to block a bill which would have extended those powers, which means that as of midnight Sunday on the U.S. east coast, sections 206, 207 and 215 of the Patriot Act will have expired. Says the Daily Dot's article, linked by reader blottsie: The reform bill, which the House passed before leaving town for a week-long recess, would end the government's bulk collection of Americans' phone records under the Patriot Act's controversial Section 215 but leaves the other two provisions intact. ... Sunday's procedural meltdown was the second narrow defeat for the USA Freedom Act. In a late-night session on Friday, May 22, the bill fell three votes short of an initial procedural step after [Senate Majority Leader] McConnell lobbied hard against it. The Senate's failure to meet its deadline was a blow to President Obama, who on Friday had warned lawmakers that the country would be vulnerable if the USA Freedom Act did not pass.

6 of 500 comments (clear)

  1. I'm afraid! Please send hugs! by TheRealHocusLocus · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am so jittery... as the clock strikes Midnight I will no longer bask in the protective glow of Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act. I cannot fall asleep without the reassuring sound of telephone records being gathered. Surely something awful will happen tonight or tomorrow. Maybe I will try to organize the neighborhood for a continuous vigil until the Act is restored. But first, I'll just turn on the radio and catch some news...

    --
    <blink>down the rabbit hole</blink>
  2. Forward emails and calls until fixed? by bsharitt · · Score: 5, Funny

    In order to keep America safe, does anyone know where I can send my emails and phone records to until this whole misunderstanding is resolved? I'd hate for a terrorist to get me because my information was private.

    1. Re:Forward emails and calls until fixed? by rgbatduke · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, if you have anything really juicy in there -- a bit of porn, some records of your cocaine transactions, maybe some private account numbers and your social security number, you can always send them to me. I'll make sure there are no terrorists hiding under your bed.

      And of course, I'm completely trustworthy.

      My address:

      John Doe
      Secret Agent for U.N.C.L.E.
      Hiding Under Your Bed (but I'm a nice guy, not a terrorist, and there isn't any more room under here)

      In fact, don't bother sending them. I've already got them. And BTW, you snore...

      --
      Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken. --- Bertrand Russell.
  3. Re:so what by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 3, Funny

    what? "the romans, they go to the house??"

    --

    --
    "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
  4. Re:RAND PAUL REVOLUTION by ganjadude · · Score: 1, Funny

    and if you think we should be paying more, please, lead by example. give more of your paycheck to the government

    --
    have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
  5. Re:Useful technique by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 5, Funny

    Who do you recommend as an alternative? (And did they, by any chance, support the Patriot act?)

    Bernie Sanders, who voted against the PATRIOT act and its reauthorization.

    Voting against the Patriot act was a good thing, but everything else Bernie Sanders he stands for is just batshit crazy.