Post by Shadow on Jan 24, 2006 7:20:37 GMT -5
Sierra Times
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Feb. 3 deadline to renew the Patriot Act is looming, and with congressional members pre-occupied by other issues, some say not enough time is left to hammer out differences in the federal anti-terror bill before it expires.
"I would not be at all surprised if we end up with another extension," said former Georgia Republican Rep. Bob Barr, who has been actively petitioning for changes in the Patriot Act, particularly tighter rules on allowing so-called "sneak-and-peek" property searches and digging into individuals' personal records without warrants.
"We would like to see the conference report agreed to, but we understand there are certain concerns and changes that might be added, and we're still looking for an agreement on that," said one Senate Republican aide who did not want to be named, but acknowledged that time was short and another extension may be the only option if negotiators can't get it together.
Senate Democrats and four Republicans united in late December to defeat a vote that would have ended debate on the House-Senate conference bill renewing the Patriot Act and permitted a final vote before the law expired on Dec. 31. With just days left before the expiration, Congress and the White House agreed to extend the life of the act for five more weeks while disputes were sorted out.
But when the Senate convenes this week, its top concern will be the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. The House is expected to come back into session on Jan. 31, but it has been wrapped up in promoting lobbying reform in the wake of the Jack Abramoff political scandal. House Republicans are also in the midst of electing a new majority leader.
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Feb. 3 deadline to renew the Patriot Act is looming, and with congressional members pre-occupied by other issues, some say not enough time is left to hammer out differences in the federal anti-terror bill before it expires.
"I would not be at all surprised if we end up with another extension," said former Georgia Republican Rep. Bob Barr, who has been actively petitioning for changes in the Patriot Act, particularly tighter rules on allowing so-called "sneak-and-peek" property searches and digging into individuals' personal records without warrants.
"We would like to see the conference report agreed to, but we understand there are certain concerns and changes that might be added, and we're still looking for an agreement on that," said one Senate Republican aide who did not want to be named, but acknowledged that time was short and another extension may be the only option if negotiators can't get it together.
Senate Democrats and four Republicans united in late December to defeat a vote that would have ended debate on the House-Senate conference bill renewing the Patriot Act and permitted a final vote before the law expired on Dec. 31. With just days left before the expiration, Congress and the White House agreed to extend the life of the act for five more weeks while disputes were sorted out.
But when the Senate convenes this week, its top concern will be the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. The House is expected to come back into session on Jan. 31, but it has been wrapped up in promoting lobbying reform in the wake of the Jack Abramoff political scandal. House Republicans are also in the midst of electing a new majority leader.