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Explore our coverage of government and politics.

Leahy Leads Effort To Limit Government Surveillance Under The Patriot Act

Andrew Harnik
/
AP
A proposal from Sen. Patrick Leahy, shown here in Washington in April, to reign in the government's electronic surveillance program is at the heart of a dispute in Washington over the renewal of the Patriot Act.

Sen. Patrick Leahy says Republican Senate leaders are using pressure tactics to try to win approval for the reauthorization of the Patriot Act. Leahy's proposal to rein in the government's electronic surveillance program is at the heart of the dispute in Washington.

Unless Congress acts by the end of the month, the Patriot Act will expire. It's legislation that was passed following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and it gave the federal government new power to conduct surveillance operations.

The House has already acted on this bill. Last week, it gave its strong support to legislation that makes it more difficult for the government to monitor phone records and emails.

Leahy is the lead sponsor of a similar amendment in the Senate. While a majority of senators support the Leahy plan, there aren't the 60 votes necessary to block a filibuster.

Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell opposes Leahy's amendment because he thinks it will weaken anti-terrorism programs. McConnell is threatening to let the Patriot Act expire rather than accept Leahy's proposal.

Leahy is very disappointed by this decision.

"Trying to use a pressure tactic to ignore the Constitution, a pressure tactic to ignore the rights of Americans, I think that's the wrong way to go,” Leahy says. “This Vermonter believes very strongly in protecting our privacy."

"If we have a straight up or down vote on the House bill, it will pass. It will be on the president's desk by tomorrow and he'll sign it." - Sen. Patrick Leahy

Leahy is convinced that maintaining the government surveillance programs will not make this country safer from a future terrorist attack.

"The biggest threat any nation can face is if their own government tries to trample their rights,” Leahy says. “As long as I'm in the United States Senate I will not support something that allows my government – I don't care if it's a Democratic or Republican president – to trample my rights and the rights of my fellow Vermonters." 

Leahy wants McConnell to schedule a vote on his amendment. He says this is a clear case where a majority of senators support it.

"Not filibuster it, but just straight up or down. Fifty-one wins. That's the way you should think of it: The majority wins. If we have a straight up or down vote on the House bill, it will pass. It will be on the president's desk by tomorrow and he'll sign it," he said.

The Senate is scheduled to break for the Memorial Day recess later Friday. However if this dispute isn't settled by evening, it's possible that the Senate will be called back for a rare weekend session.

Bob Kinzel has been covering the Vermont Statehouse since 1981 — longer than any continuously serving member of the Legislature. With his wealth of institutional knowledge, he answers your questions on our series, "Ask Bob."
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