Sen McConnell relents on NSA bill, setting up showdown

Senate Republicans appear to have settled on a game plan to renew expiring portions of the Patriot Act that authorize controversial surveillance programs at the National Security Agency. GOP leaders said they will begrudgingly bring up the USA Freedom Act for a vote, after it passed easily in the House by a vote of 338-88. But they seem confident the bill won't get the 60 votes it needs to overcome a filibuster. That will pave the way, they say, for a quick vote on a short-term extension of the current law and give Congress more time to settle on a backup plan.

“I certainly think we ought to allow a vote on the House-passed bill,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). “If there are not enough votes to pass that, then we need to look at an alternative." Majority Leader McConnell has said the House bill would open the US up to new terrorist threats and instead wants to renew the Patriot Act without changes for five and a half years. Barring that, he has introduced a bill to renew the current law for two months to give lawmakers more time to settle on a path forward. “What makes most sense is to give senators a chance to vote on the House bill and if that fails -- and a version of that did fail last fall -- then the alternative would be a short extension while we work out the differences,” said Sen John Cornyn (R-TX).