Senate Majority Leader McConnell fast-tracks Patriot Act legislation

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced legislation to extend controversial sections of the Patriot Act. He didn't offer any comments on the legislation, but fast-tracked it so it could be placed on the Senate's calendar without having to go through the committee process.

The proposal would "extend authority relating to roving surveillance, access to business records, and individual terrorists as agents of foreign powers." Sen McConnell would extend expiring portions of the act through 2020, well after President Barack Obama leaves the White House. The legislation is co-sponsored by Sen Richard Burr (R-NC), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) called McConnell's push a "tone-deaf attempt to pave the way for five and a half more years of unchecked surveillance will not succeed. Despite overwhelming consensus that the bulk collection of Americans’ phone records under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT must end, Senate Republican leaders are proposing to extend that authority without change," he said.