For the first time in the post-9/11 era, phone calls made by Americans will not be automatically collected by the National Security Agency (NSA), The New York Times reports. After a rare weekend session, the Senate did not renew three specific provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act, including the bulk collection of telephony data. In Sunday night’s session, which was described as “caustic,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) blocked the extension. The Senate is expected to vote on a version of the USA FREEDOM Act, which has already passed the House, on Tuesday or Wednesday and send the compromise bill to President Barack Obama for his signature, the report states. As one workaround, the Justice Department can invoke the so-called “grandfather clause” to continue to use such powers for investigations that commenced prior to June 1. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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