Opponents of NSA surveillance emboldened by close House vote

A close vote in the House on National Security Agency surveillance has given privacy advocates new momentum in their quest to curtail the agency's power.

Critics of the agency are reviewing their options and plotting their next move in an attempt to build on their surprisingly strong showing. "The House took a shot across NSA's bow, and the NSA noticed," said Gregory Nojeim, a senior counsel for the Center for Democracy and Technology. It's a heady time for privacy advocates, who for years have been on the defensive against claims that tougher privacy standards would endanger national security and help terrorists.