May 26 President Obama lobbies Senate to extend Patriot Act provision that allows phone record monitoring By Erica Werner, Associated Press President Barack Obama called on the Senate Tuesday to extend key Patriot Act provisions before they expire five days from now, including the government's ability to search Americans' phone records. Continue reading
May 25 Watch 7:28 Will hawkish Republican candidates resonate with voters? By PBS News Hour Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and Tamara Keith of NPR join Judy Woodruff to discuss what Republican candidates are saying about U.S. surveillance rules and the strategy against the Islamic State, plus three more politicians plan to announce… Continue watching
May 25 Watch 2:37 Can lawmakers come up with a deal for U.S. surveillance rules? By PBS News Hour The Senate failed to extend key provisions of the Patriot Act before the holiday recess, leaving little time before the expiration deadline for lawmakers to come to a consensus. Judy Woodruff talks to political editor Lisa Desjardins about what lies… Continue watching
May 23 Senate to reconsider Patriot Act extension after break By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press Unable to end a struggle over how to deal with government surveillance programs, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled a last-minute session to consider retaining the National Security Agency's bulk collection of domestic phone records. Continue reading
May 22 Watch 13:33 Shields and Gerson on GOP’s Patriot Act rift, Islamic State’s victories By PBS News Hour Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week’s news, new doubts about the Obama administration’s strategy for fighting the Islamic State, the political divide on key provisions of the Patriot Act… Continue watching
May 22 Watch 7:30 The Patriot Act’s strange divide By PBS News Hour On June 1, the NSA will lose legal authority to collect bulk phone records, as key provisions of the Patriot Act expire. The House has passed a new bill replacing bulk collection with more targeted searches. But some senators, including… Continue watching
May 22 Bush, Christie rise in defense of Patriot Act By Bill Barrow, Thomas Beaumont, Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Republican presidential contenders Jeb Bush and Chris Christie heartily endorsed the Patriot Act on Friday and mocked those who deride the intelligence overhaul passed after the Sept. 11 attacks as an encroachment on civil liberties. “There… Continue reading
May 21 Paul commandeers Senate for nearly 11 hours to protest Patriot Act By Donna Cassata, Associated Press Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul commandeered the Senate floor Wednesday to deliver a nearly 11 hours-long protest against renewal of the Patriot Act, calling the post-Sept. 11 law government intrusion on Americans' privacy. Continue reading
Mar 01 Dysfunction in Congress not limited to homeland security fight By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Congress' dysfunction isn't limited to the struggle to keep a Cabinet department running without interruption. Continue reading
May 27 Watch Shields, Brooks on Patriot Act, N.Y. Race Upset, Medicare Politics, Palin Tour Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss the week's top political news, including the Patriot Act extension clearing Congress being signed by President Obama, the 2012 GOP presidential field and the Ryan Medicare plan's impact… Continue watching