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Senate Strikes Patriot Act Deal

Posted on: Thursday, 22 December 2005, 06:00 CST

By Richard Wolf and David Jackson

WASHINGTON -- Senators agreed Wednesday to a six-month extension of the USA Patriot Act, skirting a showdown over updating the anti-terrorism law set to expire Dec. 31.

The House of Representatives, already home for the holidays, and President Bush must also sign off on the deal.

The White House had no immediate comment, though Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales participated in daylong negotiations with senators.

"There are many good things in this Patriot Act ... but not enough," said Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Now we have six months to get it right."

The House passed its updated Patriot Act, making 14 of 16 provisions permanent, on Dec. 15. It was unclear when the House would return to vote.

The deal ended a filibuster by most Democrats and four Republicans of the powers used by law enforcement officials to monitor terrorist threats. Congress first passed the Patriot Act after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Critics of the House-passed bill demanded changes that they say would increase safeguards against improper government searches and seizures.

The White House this week had suggested Bush might veto an extension. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, one of the Republicans who led the filibuster, predicted the President would go along: "This was not a time to allow expiration."

Earlier in the day, President Bush urged the Senate to stop the delay tactics, saying "this obstruction is inexcusable." He also suggested there might be political consequences if the law were to lapse.

"The senators obstructing the Patriot Act need to understand that the expiration of this vital law will endanger America," Bush told reporters at the White House.

The House bill included "sneak and peak warrants," allowing law enforcement to wait up to 30 days before notifying the target of a search. Another section removed legal barriers to communication among FBI, CIA, and domestic law enforcement agencies.

The House bill also gave two provisions new four-year expiration dates: "roving wiretaps" of multiple phones, and secret court orders for business, library, and Internet records.

(c) Copyright 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

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