Is Washington Collecting Your Cell-Phone Data?

New Patriot Act Controversy: Is Washington Collecting Your Cell-Phone Data? -- Time

The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee is weighing fresh concerns about the sweeping nature of domestic spying using one controversial section of the Patriot Act. This particular part of that law is notable because it has been divisive for years — and because during those years President Obama has quietly moved from being a Senator skeptical of the provisions to being an enthusiastic spy chief whose Administration embraces them.

Last Tuesday the committee met to consider the worries of some members, mostly Democrats, who say the Justice Department has drafted a breathtakingly broad interpretation of Section 215 of the Patriot Act.

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My Comment: It's a good way for the government to track people .... but is this the society that we want?

U.S. Senate Extends Key Patriot Act Provisions

Senate OKs Extending Key Patriot Act Provisions -- Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—The Senate voted 72-23 Thursday evening to renew three key provisions of the Patriot Act, a post-9/11 law giving law enforcement greater surveillance powers, in a quiet close to a debate roiled by objections from Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.).

The House was expected to approve the measure by midnight, when the provisions were set to expire, and President Barack Obama was prepared to sign it into law.

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More News On the U.S. Senate Extending Provisions Of The Patriot Act

Patriot Act clears Senate -- Politico
Senate votes to extend Patriot Act's roving wiretaps, records search -- USA Today
Senate votes to extend terror-fighting bill -- FOX News
US Senate renews anti-terror powers -- AFP
Senate Approves Extension Of Patriot Act Anti-Terror Provisions -- NPR
With Only Hours to Spare, Senate Passes Extension of Patriot Act Provisions, Sends to House -- ABC News
U.S. Senate Approves Four-Year Extension of Patriot Act Wiretap Authority -- Bloomberg
Senate OKs extension of Patriot Act as race against clock continues -- The Hill

Key Provisions Of The U.S. Patriot Act Extended For Three Months

Patriot Act Extension Lands on Obama’s Desk -- Threat Level

The House forwarded legislation to the president Thursday to extend three controversial Patriot Act spy measures through May. They were set to expire at month’s end.

The 279-143 vote came two days after the Senate approved the same language. Earlier in the week, the House had agreed to prolong the expiring provisions to Dec. 8, but on Thursday opted for the shorter period to follow the Senate.

The expiring provisions at issue originally were set to sunset in December 2009. Congress extended the deadline until the end of February 2010 in a bid to work out compromise legislation. When that failed, lawmakers punted for a year, declaring that those measures would expire at the end of this month unless new action is taken.

The new action was that lawmakers punted again.

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More News On Congress Approving The Extension Of The Patriot Act

House approves Patriot Act extension, sending it to Obama -- Washington Post
House Extends Patriot Act Provisions -- Wall Street Journal
Congress approves extension of key Patriot Act provisions -- CNN
House votes to renew anti-terrorism provisions -- Reuters
Senate Passes 90-Day Extension of Patriot Act -- CBS News
House sends Patriot Act to Obama -- The Hill
Senate Votes to Extend Terrorism Provisions -- New York Times

My Comment: A 90 day extension ... in the hope that some compromise on these key Patriot Act provisions can be agreed upon. My prediction .... it will be booted for another 6-12 months when the three months is up.

Congress Extends Key Provisions Of Patriot Act

House Extends Key Provisions of Patriot Act -- Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—The House voted 275-144 Monday night to extend three key provisions of the Patriot Act, overcoming a small uprising of House Republicans last week that briefly delayed the measure.

Wisconsin GOP Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner's proposal allows federal agents to continue to use enhanced surveillance powers until Dec. 8. The extension still needs Senate approval to become law.

"We can't let our guard down," Mr. Sensenbrenner said. "These are needed measures to keep our nation safe."

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More News On Congress Voting To Extend The Patriot Act

House extends key provisions of Patriot Act -- AP
House OKs short-term extension of Patriot Act -- L.A. Times
US House votes extension of anti-terrorism powers -- AFP
House votes to extend Patriot Act surveillance powers -- BBC
House votes to extend anti-terror provisions -- Reuters
On Second Try, House Passes PATRIOT Act Extension -- ABC News
House votes to extend key provisions of Patriot Act -- CNN
Try again: Patriot Act extension passes House -- Politico

My Comment: Where are the opponents to this Act? From front page coverage a few years ago .... to page A22 in the major papers.

No Patriot Act Renewal For Now

House Fails to Extend Parts of Patriot Act in Surprise Vote -- Voice of America

The U.S. House of Representatives has failed to approve an extension of expiring parts of the USA Patriot Act late Tuesday. In a vote that surprised analysts, a number of Republicans supported by the Tea Party voted with a number of Democrats to block the two-thirds majority needed for extension.

The Patriot Act was first passed with broad bipartisan support in 2001, in response to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The law makes it easier for federal authorities to conduct surveillance, including wiretapping of terrorist suspects. Civil libertarians have long fought the act, and some critics say the government has abused its powers by using the law in cases not related to terrorism.

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More News On The House failing To Pass An Extension Of the Patriot Act

House defeats bill extending Patriot Act provisions until December -- CNN
Patriot Act extension fails in the House by seven votes -- Washington Post
House GOP fumbles on Patriot Act renewal -- L.A. Times
Patriot Act falls at first hurdle -- Al Jazeera
House GOP Leaders Blindsided By Patriot Act Defeat -- NPR
Democrats jab Republicans over Patriot Act vote -- Politico
After defeat on Patriot Act, Boehner says GOP 'not perfect every day' -- The Hill
House Rejects Patriot Act Extension -- Neon Tommy
Opposing The Patriot Act -- Daily Dish/The Atlantic

Patriot Act Up For Renewal And No One Notices

Congress, Once Again, Looks To Extend Patriot Act With Little Or No Debate -- Tech Dirt

When the Patriot Act first passed, there were (quite reasonable) concerns from many folks in the civil liberties world, who were worried about aspects of the bill that seemed to go well beyond reason, in a hysterical knee-jerk reaction to the terrorist attacks of 2001. In order to mollify those concerned, Congress put in some "sunset" provisions, which would have certain aspects of the Patriot Act expire at a particular time. Last year, parts of the Patriot Act were set to expire, and many people hoped that it would open up some opportunities to better protect basic civil liberties. However, with it being an election year and no one wanting to look "soft" on terrorism, Congress had little discussion about the matter and simply decided to re-up the entire Patriot Act, saying they'd really (no, really) review the provisions this year. Amusingly, in a typical Congressional obfuscatory move, the extension of the Patriot Act was buried in the "Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act." Yeah.

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Update #1: Patriot Act up for renewal and no one notices -- Examiner
Update #2: The Sun Never Sets on the PATRIOT Act -- Cato@Liberty

My Comment: If there was a Republican administration in the White House .... I suspect that there would be more media attention to the extension of the Patriot Act.

President Obama Signs An Extension To The Patriot Act For One More Year

Obama Signs One-Year Extension Of Patriot Act -- AJC

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has signed a one-year extension of several provisions in the nation's main counterterrorism law, the Patriot Act.

Provisions in the measure would have expired on Sunday without Obama's signature Saturday.

The act, which was adopted in the weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, expands the government's ability to monitor Americans in the name of national security.

Three sections of the Patriot Act that stay in force will:

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My Comment: An important topic of discussion that was completely absent from the Sunday morning news/political talk shows.

U.S. Intelligence Services In Limbo With Soon To Be Expiration Of The Patriot Act

Authority to Spy on Americans Unclear as Patriot Act Expires -- ABC News

House Defies White House and Renews Two of Three Expiring Provisions.

Rushed into law by Congress just weeks after Sept. 11, 2001 three controversial provisions of the Patriot Act granting officials far-reaching surveillance and seizure powers in the name of national security, are due to expire this New Year's Eve.

Two differing bills passed by the House and Senate judiciary committees in recent weeks will have to be reconciled in Congress, but only when the Senate isn't backlogged by health care, Democratic aides told ABC News.

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My Comment: Another example of Congress playing politics with our security.

Should Certain Provisions Of The Patriot Act Be Eliminated?

Amid Terror Threat, Dems Chip Away At Patriot Act -- The Washington Examiner

You might not have heard, but some key parts of the nation's most important anti-terrorism law are set to expire in December. When the Patriot Act was originally passed in the days following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress put time limits on three of its most far-reaching provisions: "Roving wiretaps," which allow investigators to keep up with suspects who use dozens of cell phones to avoid being traced; "business records" authority, which lets investigators ask a special national-security court for access to records of a suspect's dealings with private businesses; and the "lone wolf" provision, which allows investigators to track individual terror suspects even if they are not a member of a terrorist group, like al Qaeda. Congress renewed those provisions in 2005 and now must give them another four-year renewal, or they will disappear.

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My Comment: I remembered when the Patriot Act was first enacted, both political parties were openly stating that this was a temporary measure. I guess the argument now is that this is not the time to change the provisions .... sigh .... politics as usual in Capital Hill.

Battle Looms Over The Patriot Act

From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — As Congress prepares to consider extending crucial provisions of the USA Patriot Act, civil liberties groups and some Democratic lawmakers are gearing up to press for sweeping changes to surveillance laws.

Both the House and the Senate are set to hold their first committee hearings this week on whether to reauthorize three sections of the Patriot Act that expire at the end of this year. The provisions expanded the power of the F.B.I. to seize records and to eavesdrop on phone calls in the course of a counterterrorism investigation.

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My Comment: If it works .... don't fix it. But many Democrat lawbreakers have a different view .... hence the big debate. The Patriot Act s going to be changed because the perception is that it is no longer needed.

I hope they are right.

Obama Backs Extending Patriot Act Spy Provisions

From Threat Level:

The Obama administration has told Congress it supports renewing three provisions of the Patriot Act due to expire at year’s end, measures making it easier for the government to spy within the United States.

In a letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Vermont Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Justice Department said the administration might consider “modifications” to the act in order to protect civil liberties.

“The administration is willing to consider such ideas, provided that they do not undermine the effectiveness of these important authorities,” Ronald Weich, assistant attorney general, wrote to Leahy, (.pdf) whose committee is expected to consider renewing the three expiring Patriot Act provisions next week. The government disclosed the letter Tuesday.

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My Comment: This extension of the Patriot Act will be approved, but approved with very little fanfare or publicty.

Goodbye To The Old Boss. Hello To The New Boss

Under Obama, Feds May Still Snoop Library
Files -- San Francisco Chronicle

President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for attorney general has endorsed an extension of the law that allows federal agents to demand Americans' library and bookstore records as part of terrorism probes, dismaying a national group of independent booksellers.

Eric Holder said at his confirmation hearing Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee that he supports renewing a section of the USA Patriot Act that allows FBI agents investigating international terrorism or espionage to seek records from businesses, libraries and bookstores. If not renewed by Congress, the provision will expire at the end of 2009.

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My Comment: Where is the media outrage?