Eleventh hour discussions; the US Senate is in a special session to decide on legislation that would allow the National Security Agency to continue domestic spying.
Senators have previously failed to decide the fate of key provisions of the controversial Patriot Act that will expire at midnight. The current provisions allow for mass collection of phone records of tens of millions of Americans by the National Security Agency. The existence of the NSA’s spying program was revealed by former contractor Edward Snowden back in 20-13, prompting calls for reform. A court has already ruled the practice illegal. But the new reform will not stop the collection of American’s phone data and instead will give the spying power to telecom companies. The house has already backed the bill.
It needs 60 votes to clear the senate.
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