US Senate Lets Three Patriot Act Provisions Expire
On Sunday, Senate debate failed to extend three controversial Patriot Act provisions:
- Section 215 used as justification for bulk NSA phone, Internet and business records collection;
- the lone wolf provision amending the definition of a foreign power
to include anyone allegedly “engag(ing) in international terrorism or
activities in preparation thereof;” and
- the roving wiretap provision permitting “blank check” phone and
Internet monitoring of individuals without identifying them by name or
having justifiable probable cause.
Unless changed by subsequent congressional action, monitoring
henceforth requires “specific and articulable facts” showing targeted
subjects may be foreign agents as defined under the 1978 Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
