WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate has voted to extend, rather than tweak, three surveillance powers that federal law enforcement officials use to fight terrorists, passing the bill back to an absent House and throwing the future of the authorities in doubt.
The 75-day extension pushes off the debate over the surveillance tools as Congress attempts to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
It is unclear whether the House will accept the temporary extension of the surveillance powers, which lapsed on Sunday. The House last week passed a compromise bill negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy that would renew the authorities and impose new restrictions.