The Senate allowed the Patriot Act, designed to help the government combat terrorism, act at midnight Sunday, but it is preparing a revised bill for the “Freedom Act” that likely will be passed.
The House of Representatives already has approved the Freedom Act, parts of which are opposed by civil rights champions.
Until the Senate acts on its revised bill that would deal with three controversial clauses, the National Security Agency no longer is allowed to collect phone data on suspected terrorists.
Opponents of the bill point out that the NSA also can snoop on millions of American who have no ties with terror.