Jun 01 NSA powers expire as Patriot Act extension stalls in Senate By Erica Werner and Ken Dilanian, Associated Press The National Security Agency lost its authority at midnight to collect Americans' phone records in bulk, after GOP Sen. Rand Paul stood in the way of extending the fiercely contested program in an extraordinary Sunday Senate session. Continue reading
May 31 Watch 5:40 Senate debates Patriot Act surveillance as expiration nears By PBS News Hour The Senate is in a rare Sunday session, wrangling over three key surveillance provisions of the Patriot Act set to expire at midnight. PBS NewsHour's Political Director Lisa Desjardins joins Hari Sreenivasan from Washington with more. Continue watching
May 31 Surveillance powers will lapse without Senate action By Associated Press Hours from a midnight deadline for contested anti-terror measures to expire, no solution was in sight as the Senate convened an extraordinary Sunday session to hash out a way forward. Intelligence officials warned the result would amount to a win… Continue reading
May 30 Will lapse in surveillance laws make the U.S. less secure? By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press Barring a last-minute deal in Congress, three post-Sept. 11 surveillance laws used against spies and terrorists are set to expire as Sunday turns into Monday… Continue reading
May 28 Watch 7:30 ‘Uncontroversial’ authorities at risk if Patriot Act provisions expire, says White House By PBS News Hour Three U.S. intelligence tools are scheduled to expire Sunday, including the NSA's controversial bulk collection of Americans' phone metadata records. President Obama has urged lawmakers to renew the Patriot Act programs, but so far the Senate has failed to compromise… 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 Senate clears White House-backed trade bill By David Espo and Charles Babington, Associated Press In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation Friday night to strengthen the administration's hand in global trade talks, clearing the way for a highly unpredictable summer showdown in the House. Continue reading
May 22 VA must find millions to finish troubled Denver hospital By Dan Elliott, Associated Press DENVER — Construction crews are returning to work at the veterans hospital outside Denver after a last-minute deal with congressional leaders avoided a shutdown of the half-finished project. Continue reading
May 22 Senate expected to act on NSA collection of phone records By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The fate of the bulk collection of American phone records by the National Security Agency is now before the Senate, in what is increasingly looking like a game of legislative chicken. Continue reading
May 21 Watch 4:43 Obama’s trade bill narrowly clears Senate, but then hurdles remain By PBS News Hour In a key vote Thursday, the Senate advanced legislation that would strengthen the administration's hand in global trade. The president said the action to move toward a final vote was a big step forward. Political editor Lisa Desjardins joins Gwen… Continue watching