WASHINGTON — The Senate will vote on legislation that ends the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of millions of Americans’ phone records as Congress scrambles to renew the Patriot Act before it expires June 1.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has opposed the House bill to reauthorize the post-Sept. 11 law while significantly changing the NSA’s bulk collection, preferring to simply renew the Patriot Act. But he told reporters Tuesday that he will allow a vote on the measure that passed the House overwhelmingly last week and has the backing of the Obama administration.
“Regardless of what the House’s position may be, we have an obligation to deal with the Patriot Act,” the Kentucky Republican said. “And we’re going to deal with it this week. And it’s my view that letting it expire is not a responsible thing to do.”
Congress must deal with the law’s fate before lawmakers leave town for the weeklong Memorial Day recess. The issue has divided Republicans and Democrats, cutting across party lines and pitting civil libertarians concerned about privacy against more hawkish lawmakers fearful about losing tools to combat terrorism.
Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden’s revelations about the NSA program spurred some Republicans and Democrats to demand an end to the bulk collection.
Last week, the House on a 338-88 vote backed the USA Freedom Act, which would replace bulk collection with a system to search the data held by telephone companies on a case-by-case basis. House Republican and Democratic leaders have insisted on their bill.
“The House had an overwhelmingly large vote for the USA Freedom Act. It’s time for the Senate to act,” Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters Tuesday.
McConnell made no predictions about the outcome of the Senate vote on the House measure.
