The Senate passed today (on Wednesdy, Dec 21) a six-month extension of the terror-fighting USA Patriot Act. Will this really make the USA a safer place to live … as some polititions called it? It is surely a last resort after Democrats and a small group of GOP senators blocked President Bush and Republican congressional leaders’ attempt to make most of the anti-terrorism law permanent.

Approval of the six-month extension came on a voice vote, and cleared the way for a final vote in the House possibly as early as Thursday. Sixteen provisions in the current law expire Dec. 31 unless the Congress and White House acts.

So what are the arguments? White House-pushed legislation did not provide enough civil liberty safeguards.

Now the six-month “extension ensures that the tools provided to law enforcement in terrorist investigations in the Patriot Act remain in effect while Congress works out the few differences that remain,” said Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H.

Let’s wait the next few months …

Greetings
RvH