Republicans May Offer Short-Term Extension of Patriot Act

Republican leaders in the Senate may attempt to offer a short-term extension to the expiring surveillance authorities of the Patriot Act, even as they again vow not to take up the issue before first passing legislation on Iran nuclear negotiations and an international trade deal. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said his chamber would not address government spying reform or highway infrastructure funding, despite fast-approaching deadlines for both looming at the end of May, until it cleared the deck on Iran and trade. But Majority Leader McConnell's top deputy, Majority Whip John Cornyn, said a shorter reauthorization to the Patriot Act authorities could be in the works. "That's one of the possibilities, because we're going to run into some real time constraints," Majority Whip Cornyn said when asked specifically about a short extension.

Majority Leader McConnell in April introduced a fast-track bill that would extend until 2020 the three provisions of the Patriot Act due to expire June 1, including the controversial Section 215, which the National Security Agency uses to justify its bulk collection of US phone records. It is unclear how long a shorter extension might be, though it would likely be far shorter than the five and a half years favored by Majority Leader McConnell so far. Multiple sources said an extension ranging from four to six months was one option being considered. But any clean reauthorization still puts the Senate squarely at odds with the House, which is expected to easily pass a comprehensive surveillance-reform bill when it returns from recess. That package, the USA Freedom Act, would effectively end the NSA's call-data dragnet. Majority Leader McConnell, though, suggested that he was not inclined to take up the House's Freedom Act as a starting point for Senate negotiations but that his bill would instead be open to amendments.