House eyes possible early plans to renew Patriot Act

Lawmakers could renew controversial expiring elements of the Patriot Act as early as April, according to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in a memo to GOP lawmakers. Majority Leader McCarthy said his chamber could examine the three expiring sections by the end of April -- a quicker timeframe than many watchers had expected. “Additionally, as the threat to our homeland from foreign terrorist groups like ISIL and al Qaeda -- or from foreign fighter flows to and from Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen -- continues to grow, the House may consider reauthorization of key provisions of the USA Patriot Act in April,” McCarthy wrote. “These provisions, which expire at the end of May, are necessary to maintain the US Intelligence Community’s ability to monitor the communications and activities of foreign terrorists who seek to attack the homeland," he added.