JURIST - Paper Chase: Senate approves Patriot Act extension until March 10

[JURIST] The US Senate late Thursday evening passed a one-month extension [HR 4659 summary] of the USA Patriot Act [PDF text] by a 95-1 vote [roll call vote]. The extension until March 10 has already been approved by the US House [JURIST report] and will now go to President Bush for his signature. Sixteen provisions [CRS backgrounder, PDF] of the Patriot Act were set to expire at the end of last year, but after Congress failed to reach a long-term reauthorization compromise, the Act was renewed until February 3 [JURIST report]. Negotiations have stalled [JURIST report] over provisions that involve wiretapping and the extension of powers that some senators believe would infringe upon individual liberties. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) was the lone dissenter against the extension. Bloomberg has more.

For a one-stop snapshot of the latest legal news that matters, with breaking documents, new legal videos, live law-related webcasts, commentary by expert law professors and more - all updated through the day in real time, with no ads and no registration barriers - visit JURIST's homepage and check back often...