U.S. Senate approves ‘Freedom Act’ to renew government spying powers

‘The Senate on Tuesday passed a measure that reaffirms previous legislation the Bush and Obama Administrations used to justify tasking the National Security Agency with conducting massive, and early on warrantless, electronic surveillance on Americans. Controversial provisions of the law that both administrations used to “authorize” such tasks – the USA Patriot Act – expired June 1, at which time the NSA’s surveillance programs were supposed to be shut down.

But, if the Senate gets its way, the agency’s program shut-down won’t last long.’

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