Senate scrambles to save Patriot Act

Senators are scrambling to nail down a way to preserve critical National Security Agency programs before portions of the Patriot Act run out at the end of May. With just hours to go until the NSA begins to wind down its massive phone records collection program, the Senate is prepared to hold a rare weekend voting session to keep the Patriot Act alive. Senate GOP leaders have their backs up against the wall. Ahead of the prospect that three portions of the Patriot Act die, some Republicans seem inclined to allow for legislation that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) says would gut the NSA’s ability to protect the country. “There’s a lot of moving parts right now,” Sen Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said, after a 10.5-hour floor speech from Sen Rand Paul (R-KY) stretched late into the night. “I don’t think everybody's locked in.” Democrats appear united in support of an NSA reform bill called the USA Freedom Act, after Sen Bill Nelson (D-FL) reportedly said that he would support the bill.