By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
The U.S. government has fewer tools to fight terrorism after key provisions of the Patriot Act expired late Sunday despite a last-minute push by some Senators.
CNN reports that the expiration ends the NSA’s controversial bulk data collection program. The NSA had been collecting phone metadata on millions of Americans.
Law enforcement also won’t be able to get roving wiretaps to track suspects who frequently change phones. Now they will have to get individual warrants – a timely, burdensome task that could mean some suspects slip away, law enforcement officials said.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch warned last week that the U.S. would face a “serious lapse” in national security without these tools.
The Senate is expected to debate restoring some of the expired authorities later this week.
