House Fails To Extend Patriot Act Spy Powers

[Ter]

Source: Wired

The House failed to extend three key expiring provisions of the Patriot Act on Tuesday, elements granting the government broad and nearly unchecked surveillance power on its own public.

The act was hastily adopted six weeks after the 2001 terror attacks. Three measures of the act are set to expire at month’s end, and the House’s lack of a two-thirds vote on Tuesday failed to move the sunsetting deadline to December 8, as proposed. The vote was 277-148.

The failure of the bill, sponsored by Rep. James F. Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wisconsin), for the time being is likely to give airtime to competing measures in the Senate that would place limited checks on the act’s broad surveillance powers. The White House, meanwhile, said it wanted the expiring measures extended through 2013.

The three expiring Patriot Act provisions are:

Read more: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/02/patriot-act-notextended

---

Edited for source.

[truthisfreedom]

1. Wild.

[aggiesal]

2. I don't like super-majorities, ...

But in this case, I hate the Patriot Act even more,
so I guess I'll learn to live with it. :patriot: :thumbsup:

[No Elephants]

36. Agree on both points.

[joshcryer]

47. Believe it or not, inefficient democracies are the best kinds.

Reforms should be slow.

Sadly there are reforms I think we'd both agree should come quick. :/

[OrwellwasRight]

56. This really isn't the same os the super majorities required in the Senate.

Things only have to pass by 2/3 in the House when then move under "suspension of the rules," which means only 40 minutes of debate, no chance to offer amendments, vote down the previous question, or offer a motion to recommit. It seems fair them when you are suspending regular order, you need a supermajority to pass because it demonstrates that people on both sides of the aisle agree to put the rules aside in order to advance the bill quickly.

The Republicans will now bring up the bill under "regular order" at some point this or next week, and it will pass by a simple majority. So failure to meet the "super majority" requirement in the House can usually just cause a slight delay and not "kill the bill" as effing Coburn can do singlehandedly in the Senate.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. HOpe that is accurate. n/t

[Ter]

4. Here's how they all voted:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll026.xml

[KamaAina]

12. Rohrabacher a No?!

:wow:

[OrwellwasRight]

57. He's a bit of a libertarian.

Has always had doubts about the Patriot Act.

[alp227]

71. so did OC Coast Congressman John Campbell but other SoCal conservatives said yea

whose district CA-48 includes Laguna Beach and Irvine. However, Brian Bilbray and Darrell Issa voted Yea. And Jane Harman, a Los Angeles Democrat, voted Yea! (jaw falls off)

Another interesting pattern, while Mary Bono Mack (widow of Sonny Bono, yes the "I Got You Babe" Sonny) voted yea, her new husband Connie Mack (who reps in Florida) voted Nay.

[alp227]

70. and Ron Paul also voted Nay as do most Democrats but I notice some D Yeas

Tea Party leader Michele Bachmann voted yea, as did freshmen Marlin Stutzman, Allen West, Todd Young, and pretty much any other Tea Party-endorsed representative. That kooky redefiner of rape, Chris Smith, also voted to extend the PATRIOT Act sunset deadline. I notice some Democrats who voted for the extension like Russ Carnahan (Missouri), Ruben Hinojosa (Texas), Mike Quigley (IL), and the Californians Jane Harman and Dennis Cardoza. Hmm, I wonder how the Tea Party feels about this vote result. Is the PATRIOT Act not limited government to most of them?

(ETA) Also, Roscoe Bartlett voted nay; Bartlett seems to be an anti-war libertarian type as he voted against the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (suspending habeas corpus for military detainees) and the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (which paved the way for the Iraq War) but he did vote for the Iraq War Resolution.

[PatrynXX]

95. Bachman voted for big government?

Shocked. lol. totally shocked. ha

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. The Patriot Act is dead? And we have the republicans to thank for it????

:crazy: :crazy:

[Ter]

6. Only 27

The vast majority hate freedom and liberty.

[customerserviceguy]

35. Let us remember

that a Democratic Congress voted to punt this over to the current session of Congress, and that the Repukes did NOT have a 2/3rds majority when this travesty was first enacted.

Our side has some culpability here, too.

[RedCloud]

111. Lettuce strike!

We don't need this freaking act.

[gmpierce]

19. not exactly

The Republicans (270 of them) voted for the extension. The only reason the extension didn't happen was the 2/3 vote needed.

[Ter]

45. There are only 242 Republicans in the House

Of that 242, 26 voted no.

[Moonwalk]

22. Well, the republicans wouldn't want the president to use the Patriot Act to spy.......

...on good ole' patriots like those in the Tea Party, right? :eyes:

It's fine if it's a Republican President spying on unpatriotic liberals, but if a socialist Kenyan who might use it against real Americans? :crazy: Funny how some Republicans, at least, have finally found the Act untenable. It'd be nice if they'd voted "no" for the "right" reasons rather than their own selfish fears, but somehow...I doubt it.

[No Elephants]

29. Please see Reply 19.

[Moonwalk]

53. I read reply #19 before I posted--did you read MY post carefully? Evidently not....

....if you missed that "some" part of it.

My response was to the implied question of whether we should thank those few Republicans (nine of whom were Tea Party members) who voted "no" for their "no" votes. I'm of the opinion that we don't need to thank them because they probably acted out of paranoia for their precious Tea Party, not because they wanted right a great wrong.

[Kokonoe]

41. Yes, It happened on their watch.

If only Amurikens could have known, the consequences, of their vote to put the republicans in charge.

[stevenleser]

120. Nope, see #56, this is just a VERY temporary and VERY minor setback. n/t

[kickysnana]

7. Hurrah!

[ixion]

8. Good riddance to bad rubbish. And a good start.

Now roll back all the other crap and we'll be doing okay.

[aggiesal]

11. Yes, like ...

the Unitary Presidential Powers, that Bush signed, and Obama continues to use.

[stevenleser]

121. It's not a 'riddance'. See #56 n/t

[rasputin1952]

9. That dreadful piece of crap needs to die a quick death...

We could have handled the 9-11 attacks if the bush admin had paid any attention in the first place. Stinking R's want an autocratic government in place...we took a step back from totalitarianism today...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

52. Yes!

[defendandprotect]

10. Would be great to get rid of that load of fascist crap .... what's Obama's position on it?

That also goes for the Furher's "Homeland Security" --- and

what they've turned FEMA into!

[Ter]

13. He loves it

He used to oppose it before he got to use its powers.

[orleans]

25. from the above link:

"The government has said it has never invoked that provision, but the Obama administration said it wanted to retain the authority to do so."

why???????
ugh--so tired of these power freaks and he's falling into that category. unfortunately.

[defendandprotect]

40. Thank you for reading it -- !!!

"The government has said it has never invoked that provision, but the Obama administration said it wanted to retain the authority to do so."


Think I've lost the capacity to be shocked by Obama any more!

[orleans]

77. same here. which is really pretty sad. n/t

[disndat]

117. I am willing to go along with

most of what Obama has done. He brought us through, although still limping along, the horrible financial mess that Dummbya left him. He is feared and hated by the right wing who is doing everything to destroy his presidency. I am among some of those who think he plays 3-dimensional chess with the RW. I believe in this case, spying on the RW is a good defensive strategy against a ruthless opposition.

[defendandprotect]

127. Yikes!

[dflprincess]

26. Per the OP "the White House (aka Obama)

wanted the expiring measures extended through 2013".

Probably more of the 12 dimensional chess you & I just don't seem to understand. :sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

46. And ...

thank you, as well --

Didn't even look at the article --

but some woman who called Thom Hartmann show tonight was insisting that Obama

had extended the Patriot Act on Saturday -- also claimed the ACLU was very

critical of him for it! Thom was trying to explain to her that Obama couldn't

have done that himself -- but I guessed he must have made some comment?

So once again, Obama -- who wanted this extended thru 2013 -- wants the same thing

the right wing Repugs want!!



Yikes!

[Swede Atlanta]

14. I'm surprised........

Maybe the variable of the "teaparty" has made a difference.

I would have expected them to overwhelmingly support this renewal as it is "strong on terror" but maybe they actually care about civil liberties.

I have long felt this Act was a violation of our Constitutional rights and an overreach of the government.

[Raksha]

23. Not really...the teabaggers care about THEIR civil liberties.

They don't give a damn about mine or yours, because we're "godless liberals," don'cha know. And then there are those scary Muslims...they don't give a damn about their civil liberties either. But at least this one time, their mindless fear and hatred of Obama was enough to remind them the Constitution also protects THEM.

[dflprincess]

27. You'll notice that the Queen of the Tea Baggers, Michelle Bachmann

voted to extend the provisions.

Apparently she's not that concerned about "getting the government off our backs".

[krabigirl]

31. Of course.

[No Elephants]

32. Self delete

[MilesColtrane]

63. They were fine with a godly, white Christian man like Bush wielding those powers.

They just don't want a sleeper-cell, black, Muslim to have them.

:sarcasm: if it's needed

[Buzz Clik]

98. Despite your sarcasm smiley, that is the mindset.

[pampango]

136. CSM: Patriot Act upset vote: Can tea party lawmakers, liberals be friends?

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Tea-Party-Tally/2011/0209/Patriot-Act-upset-vote-Can-tea-party-lawmakers-liberals-be-friends

Many liberals tag the tea party movement as nativist, potentially racist, and out of step with progressive ideals. But some found themselves giving a nod of approval to tea-party-affiliated members of Congress who voted Tuesday to nix parts of the Patriot Act on grounds that they let the government intrude too much on individual privacy in the name of national security.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and newcomer Rep. Raúl Labrador of Idaho were among eight in the Tea Party Caucus to vote against extending certain surveillance measures contained in the Patriot Act, joining with 18 other Republicans and most House Democrats to prevent their reauthorization – at least for now. Liberal Democratic lawmakers, in particular, have long derided parts of the Patriot Act as sacrificing civil liberties.

But the vote also shows that some tea-party Republicans are willing to buck GOP orthodoxy to stand up for principles – even if those principles happen to be shared by the likes of liberal Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) of Ohio, says political scientist Charles Franklin at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Mr. Kucinich called specifically on the Tea Party Caucus in the House to vote down the Patriot Act measures. As it was, 44 of 52 members of the Tea Party Caucus voted to extend the act's domestic spying provisions.

Democrats and tea party activists still stand far apart on issues ranging from raising the national debt ceiling, how much to cut government spending, and immigration policy. But their pairing up during Tuesday's vote to produce what some have called a "small uprising" points to the tea party movement's determination to install politicians who will put principle ahead of the party line, says Franklin. Though the Patriot Act provisions, which have President Obama's support, are likely to be renewed eventually, the initial "no" vote indicates that strange political bedfellows may indeed manage to shift policy in some unexpected ways.

[WatsonT]

15. Best news of the day.

[The abyss]

16. Excellent news!

Now if they'll just shut down the rest of the damn thing!

[Joanne98]

17. YAY!

[Arkana]

18. Unfortunately, Obama needs a slap upside the head on this one.

I can't support the Patriot Act, no matter who's in charge. Maybe killing it will open his eyes.

[Ter]

20. Here's a list of the 26 Republicans who voted no:

Justin Amash
Roscoe Bartlett
Rob Bishop
Paul Broun
John Campbell
John Duncan
Mike Fitzpatrick
Chris Gibson
Tom Graves
Dean Heller
Randy Hultgren
Tim Johnson
Walter Jones
Jack Kingston
Raul Labrador
Connie Mack
Kenny Marchant
Tom McClintock
Ron Paul
Denny Rehberg
Phil Roe
Dana Rohrabacher
Bobby Schilling
David Schweikert
Rob Woodall
Don Young

[pscot]

54. Good for them

Give credit where it's due. They did the right thing.

[westerebus]

99. A no vote was to extend the act.

So why would you give them credit for upholding such a perversion of political power?

I think you're confused.

[OnyxCollie]

61. Paul Broun voted against it?

Whodathunkit?

[lark]

126. I'm really surprised about Connie Mack

He's almost 100% lockstep with whatever the repug line is. Think this is the first time I've ever seen him not vote with the majority of his party. Wonder what's up - is he planning on retiring and getting a conscience?

[plumbob]

21. Excellent! Now dump the rest of the

Fatherland Homeland Security shit!

[Ramulux]

24. I really cant believe this

[No Elephants]

28. Disgraceful!

Yeas
Republicon 210
Democratic 67

Nays
Republicon 26
Democratic 122

277 v. ONLY 148

DISGRACEFUL!

Pleased my Rep., Mike Capuano, voted against extending.

He had also voted against the entire misleadingly named Patriot Act when Dummya first pushed it, in the throes of 911 jingoism.

[tavalon]

30. It is officially upside down time

That was a very pro Democracy stand them teabaggers just made. I bet the Weeper of the House is weeping right now.

[No Elephants]

34. And almost every Republicon vote was needed, thanks to 67 Dems who voted to extend.

Only 1/3 of the House could thwart extension--and it was still a squeaker.

[heliarc]

73. Its officially strip the president of powers time. nt

[westerebus]

101. Good.

In a democracy you try to make spying on its citizens difficult. I had hoped the President would have lead the fight to end this perversion of the Constitution when he was elected.

I hope he gets behind the effort to curtail the extraordinary powers in the PA and return to the powers already in law that require warrants and judges approval.

Call me old fashioned. I like Democracy and a government of the People. I'm opposed to the neo-con BS we got under Bush. The faster it gets unwound the better IMHO.

[heliarc]

133. never said it wasn't good...

so you can spare me a sermon to the choir. I merely think it's the reason for the timing of this. Republicans know that the Liberal base (I count myself among them) is out for blood and will eat it's more conservative front leaders... so enough of them support a limit on that leader's powers.

I don't think he should have those powers either... But if I can be so cynical, I can imagine a Republican leadership that hopes he has another terrorist attack to deal with. Whether or not we think the extended powers help or hurt his ability to prevent them. Republicans play a game that's about power, not about principles.

People on the thread have been baffled as to why this happened now. That's as good an explanation as any.

[Ter]

33. Wow, the vast majority of Freepers are even against this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2670700/posts

[ProSense]

38. Bipartisanship!

Mission Accomplished.

:rofl:

[Hoopla Phil]

64. I have read that the first stages of negotiation is to find common ground.

Looks like there is some common ground here.

[littlewolf]

106. Amen .....

[PoliticAverse]

62. Because a Democrat is President. n/t

[heliarc]

134. Bingo...

Republicans love democrats who want to limit the powers of their own president. I hate the patriot act as much as the next guy, but if Obama had used it to wiretap Hank Paulson or any number of jackass CEO's I might not have minded it so much.

[Enthusiast]

76. They would be for it

if they didn't have a black Democratic president.

[Umbral]

37. One of the really nice things about the last two congress'....

I've heard not even the slightest peep out of James F. Sensenbrenner Jr.(R-Douchebag), for almost 4 years. Sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference.

[midnight]

44. I guess I had not thought about it that way.... But your right....

It is the little things that make a difference..

[hollowdweller]

39. Hey! One bipartisan action that was actually GOOD

Now if they are going all libertarian lets go ahead and legalize weed.

[Ter]

42. Lol, maybe they can end both wars too

:)

[on point]

43. Hate to say it, but I'm with the tea party on this one.

Question authority and keeping government in check is a principle I think the tea party and liberal progressives can share...

[emilyg]

59. Amen.

[littlewolf]

107. me too .....

[obxhead]

48. 67 Democrats sided with Republicans to continue stomping

on our freedoms with an extension. I'm disgusted that it took Republicans to help us return our freedom.

(edit to add source) http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2011-26&sort=vote
Here's the list:

Yea NY-5 Ackerman, Gary

Yea PA-4 Altmire, Jason

Yea CA-43 Baca, Joe

Yea GA-12 Barrow, John

Yea NV-1 Berkley, Shelley

Yea GA-2 Bishop, Sanford

Yea NY-1 Bishop, Timothy

Yea OK-2 Boren, Dan

Yea IA-3 Boswell, Leonard

Yea CA-18 Cardoza, Dennis

Yea MO-3 Carnahan, Russ

Yea DE-0 Carney, John

Yea FL-11 Castor, Kathy

Yea KY-6 Chandler, Ben

Yea VA-11 Connolly, Gerald

Yea TN-5 Cooper, Jim

Yea CA-20 Costa, Jim

Yea CT-2 Courtney, Joe

Yea PA-12 Critz, Mark

Yea TX-28 Cuellar, Henry

Yea CA-53 Davis, Susan

Yea WA-6 Dicks, Norman

Yea IN-2 Donnelly, Joe

Yea CA-36 Harman, Jane

Yea FL-23 Hastings, Alcee

Yea NM-1 Heinrich, Martin

Yea NY-27 Higgins, Brian

Yea TX-15 Hinojosa, Rubén

Yea PA-17 Holden, Tim

Yea MD-5 Hoyer, Steny

Yea WA-1 Inslee, Jay

Yea NY-2 Israel, Steve

Yea MA-10 Keating, William

Yea WI-3 Kind, Ronald

Yea NC-8 Kissell, Larry

Yea RI-2 Langevin, James

Yea WA-2 Larsen, Rick

Yea MI-12 Levin, Sander

Yea IL-3 Lipinski, Daniel

Yea NY-18 Lowey, Nita

Yea MA-9 Lynch, Stephen

Yea UT-2 Matheson, Jim

Yea NY-4 McCarthy, Carolyn

Yea NC-7 McIntyre, Mike

Yea CA-11 McNerney, Jerry

Yea NC-13 Miller, R.

Yea CT-5 Murphy, Christopher

Yea NJ-8 Pascrell, William

Yea CO-7 Perlmutter, Ed

Yea MI-9 Peters, Gary

Yea MN-7 Peterson, Collin

Yea IL-5 Quigley, Mike

Yea WV-3 Rahall, Nick

Yea TX-16 Reyes, Silvestre

Yea AR-4 Ross, Mike

Yea NJ-9 Rothman, Steven

Yea MD-2 Ruppersberger, C.A.

Yea CA-29 Schiff, Adam

Yea PA-13 Schwartz, Allyson

Yea GA-13 Scott, David

Yea AL-7 Sewell, Terri

Yea NC-11 Shuler, Heath

Yea NJ-13 Sires, Albio

Yea WA-9 Smith, Adam

Yea MA-5 Tsongas, Niki

Yea MD-8 Van Hollen, Christopher

Yea KY-3 Yarmuth, John

[HERVEPA]

50. Allyson Schwartz yea? That's a surprise (not sarcasm)

[OnyxCollie]

65. Silvestre Reyes? Disappointing.

[amandabeech]

122. Sander Levin from Michigan? Carl's brother?

He's very liberal usually.

I don't get it with him any more than with Alison Schwartz.

[Judi Lynn]

124. Same here. Never would have expected to see his name. n/t

[Generic Other]

49. Good news for the people

Turn off the cameras!

[TygrBright]

51. Good. My Rep (Ben Lujan) was on the right side.

Marty Heinrich, on the other hand, should get a few phone calls from some of our ABQ DUers. What was HE thinking?

C'mon, guys, it's EASY. They vote alphabetically, meaning Michele Bachman (R-Wackadoodle) is always right in the first few voting. Just watch how she votes, and vote the other way. Really, it ain't rocket science.

irritatedly,
Bright

[craigmatic]

55. Good. This is one case where the repubs did right. I guess the devil is ice skating.

[Unvanguard]

58. Good, but since they have a solid majority for renewal

they'll probably just get it done the slow way.

[MilesColtrane]

60. I was hoping this was going to happen.

Clearly the power grabbed by Bush was fine with most Republicans while he was in office. Now that Obama is in the WH they realize that it is unwise to give the executive the power to skirt the Constitution.

Now we need to pressure the Senate to do away with these laws.

[Ter]

75. The biggest foe of the Patriot Act in the Senate is now...

Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky. Let's hope he filibusters.

[Major Hogwash]

66. Big Government + Big Business = Republican Party.

The GOP stands for the Gbreedy Oldmuthafuckas Party!

[MannyGoldstein]

67. I, for one, am proud that our President understands bipartisanship

The Adult President® knows what most on the left don't - as long as we do whatever the Republicans want, then we can be bipartsan.

I'm so proud.

[Youth Uprising]

69. I know!

Clearly, that three-dimensional chess game he's playing is way over our heads. He's three steps ahead of us.

[Youth Uprising]

68. Michelle Bachmann, Louie Gohmert,

and other so called small government conservatives voted to extend it. What a bunch of fucking hypocrites! Conservatives can no longer claim to be for small government.
It's time to call them out on their bullshit.

[heliarc]

72. The house "succeeded" to not extend key expiring provisions.

I think the AP protests too much.

[grahamhgreen]

74. Why are we only hearing about this after the fact? Or was this in the news?

[Derechos]

78. GOP freshmen help derail Patriot Act extension

Source: Washington Post

Nine House Republican freshmen and three inaugural members of the Tea Party Caucus voted against a proposed extension of three Patriot Act provisions Tuesday night, helping block the measure from passage under fast-track rules.

The House clearly backed the measure, voting 277 to 148 to extend the provisions, and most Republicans stuck by their leadership and supported the extension. But enough defected, joined by most Democrats, to keep the measure from receiving the two-thirds majority required for passage under the fast-track procedure.

snip

The full list of House Republicans who voted no is after the jump.

Justin Amash (Mich.), Roscoe G. Bartlett (Md.), Rob Bishop (Utah), Paul Broun (Ga.), John Campbell (Calif.), John J. Duncan Jr. (Tenn.), Michael G. Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Christopher P. Gibson (N.Y.), Tom Graves (Ga.) Dean Heller (Nev.), Randy Hultgren (Ill.), Timothy V. Johnson (Ill.), Walter B. Jones (N.C.), Jack Kingston (Ga.), Raul R. Labrador (Idaho), Connie Mack (Fla.), Kenny Marchant (Tex.), Tom McClintock (Calif.), Ron Paul (Tex.), Denny Rehberg (Mont.), Phil Roe (Tenn.), Dana Rohrabacher (Calif.), Robert Schilling (Ill.), David Schweikert (Ariz.), Rob Woodall (Ga.), Don Young (Alaska).



Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2011/02/gop-freshmen-help-derail-patri.html

[ixion]

79. I hope the dems use this as a learning moment...

they had the chance to be populist heroes, and chose the status quo instead, leaving the door wide open for the tea baggers.

[howaboutme]

82. Populist hero Democrats?

How many are there really? Bernie Sanders (I), Dennis? I've lost count of those who prefer the establishment and Wall St banksters, versus the people.

[tblue37]

91. Sanders is not a Dem, though he caucuses with the Dems.

He is a socialist.

[Skink]

80. Let's get them to vote on those body scanners next.

[howaboutme]

81. Some Repubs have some guts.

I didn't know this was a D vs R issue. I thought it was American freedom vs the security establishment. Why haven't Democrats worked on this the last several years?

[TxVietVet]

84. That's because the friggin' Dems couldn't find any balls or backbone

to stand agaisnt the intrusion on our lives. The conservanazis played the fear and terrorism game to violate our rights and the Dems didn't want to look like they didn't want to protect the conservanazis' bribers.

[elleng]

83. Interesting that my rep, oldest MD rep/repug, Bartlett voted no.

[rhett o rick]

85. Let's see. The Obama admin favored the extention therefore the Tea Party voted against. hmm.

Who's right on this issue?

[dflprincess]

86. Tea bagger Queen, Michelle Bachmann, voted for the extensions

so she stood with Obama on this one.

"It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world.."

[rhett o rick]

87. When the Patriot Act was passed, I asked my conservative friends if they would like it for a Democra

Democrat to have those extraordinary powers to spy on anyone, including political enemy's? They of course had no answer.

So i think some RepubliCons are smart enough to see that they dont want Obama to have Patriot Act powers.

[think4yourself]

94. I did the same thing !

In response to their "I got nothin' to hide!"
They also were dumbstruck.

[digitaln3rd]

89. Most of the Tea Party would have been against it anyway.

As much as I hate to admit it, President Obama is wrong on this one.

[ProSense]

88. It's going to eventually pass

<...>

Sensenbrenner today also noted that House Democrats, such as then-House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), supported the extension last year when Democrats were in control of the House. In his closing remarks in the debate, current Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) noted that the Obama administration supports the extension.

The White House actually supports a three-year extension, but said today it would accept the House Republican proposal to extend surveillance authorities until this December

link

Also, Senator Leahy is pushing for it:

“In less than three weeks, the current short-term extension of three authorities in the USA PATRIOT Act will expire. The House of Representatives will vote later today to extend these expiring provisions until December. It should not take an entire year to pass improvements to these provisions, which we should have adopted last year, and we should not extend this debate into an election year and risk that some will play politics with our national security.

“I do not support efforts to permanently extend these expiring provisions. Nor do I support undercutting important oversight and government accountability of these intelligence gathering tools. Instead, I support strengthening oversight and providing the intelligence community the certainty it needs to protect national security.

“The original USA PATRIOT Act included important sunsets that were supported by both Republicans and Democrats. The USA PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act gives the intelligence community the certainty it needs by extending these expiring authorities through 2013, while also strengthening congressional and judicial oversight. This legislation is the result of bipartisan negotiations two years ago. This is the legislation I support, and that Congress should send to the President for his signature without delay.”

[howaboutme]

90. I did write my Congressman

requesting that the Patriot Act sunset yearly in its entirety and that a vote be required on each section as the only way to extend it. It is time to end this monstrosity.

[alp227]

92. Three Tea Partiers out of 52...not many

I was right when I thought that the Tea Party doesn't have much problem with the PATRIOT Act despite the TP's libertarian leanings. Oh well. Health care bad, unwarranted spying good, right?

I don't know much about the others, but I know that Roscoe Bartlett voted against the Iraq Liberation Act in 1998 and the Military Commissions Act in 2006...both of which passed...but for the Iraq War authorization bill in 2002. And I didn't know that Rohrabacher is against renewing the PATRIOT Act now.

[Warren DeMontague]

93. They get a far right Republican in the WH, they'll bring it back right quick.

Still, good.

[tavalon]

96. Okay help me with a bit of procedural stuff

Does this now go to our do nothing Senate or is the Wicked Patriot Act actually dead?

[PoliticAverse]

97. They do it again under rules that require only a majority vote and it passes n/t.

[datasuspect]

100. it took the tea party to do what the democrats should have done

on the first DAY when they had a majority in Congress.

mind blowing.

don't get me wrong, i don't support the tea party, but WTF?

[blm]

110. In 03, Kerry-Sununu wrote Senate bill eliminating more onerous parts of Patriot...media ignored it

and few in Senate from either party would give them back up.

[howaboutme]

135. Media ignored this too

I didn't hear or see anything in the corporate media discussing either this vote or the renewal of the PA provisions. It was kept quiet. Why?

[blm]

137. Easy answer....corporate newsmedia has been serving the fascist agenda for over 2 decades.

The fascist cronies of BushInc spent the 80s and 90s buying control of almost all broadcast and print newsmedia. And they just added Huffington Post to their list.

[NorthCarolina]

102. Passed or not, I doubt there will be any changes. The programs are in place

and I am quite sure they will continue to operate as if the symbolic gesture of passing the legislation had taken place.

[Canuckistanian]

103. Finally, a GOOD failure

Not a complete repeal of the PATRIOT Act, but a step in the right direction.

[Hubert Flottz]

104. The pubs can dish it out but they can't take it...

What are they afraid of?

[Scruffy1]

105. This is no victory

All that we see here is sloppy counting by the Republican whip. It will be rescheduled for a vote without suspending the rules. Then debate is normal and amendments are allowed. The only hope is that the senate acts to get a better bill out that can win enough votes in the house .

[DirkGently]

108. Three bad provisions of one bad law. Embarrassing for Dems the WH would support it.

[Swampguana]

109. I think anyone who likes the Patriot act

Is Unpatriotic.

[Shining Jack]

113. +1

I always found that name ridiculous and it's the absolute opposite of patriotic.

[L0oniX]

112. \/\/()()T ...one step back to being the "home of the brave".

Even if there were have been no security changes what so ever, you would still have a better chance of getting killed in a car accident. DUH!

[Glassunion]

114. My district had a Blue Dog, who lost to a Center Republican...

He was the only Republican in PA to vote Nay...

[w4rma]

116. Is it any wonder that Republicans like that are beating DLC Dogs? (nt)

[MasonJar]

115. So Michele Bachman and Barack Obama agree on this one. Great!

[ozone_man]

119. Strange, isn't it?

Corporate Republicans and Democrats are authoritarian, pro-war, pro-Patriot Act. Libertarians of either liberal or conservative variety are against wars, Patriot Act, ...

[Marnie]

118. There is really no good reason for the government of any

police or military force to not have to prove that there is a good reason act illegally toward citizens.
There is the logic of imminent danger but that is not what these acts that are contrary to Constitutional protectios are aimed at.

Nor for that matter is there any reason to have a secret Starr chamber of pet judges who, because their decisions are secret, are not only not open to review but who are in a highly corruptible and black mailable position as they cannot go public in order to protect themselves from coersion or threats.

[woo me with science]

123. Can we get rid of the airport groping now, too? nt

[librechik]

125. thanks to those 7 whacky Tea Party Members in the House

can't believe I'm saying this

[AsahinaKimi]

128. The worst attack on our Freedom is

The Patriot Act.

[lovuian]

129. woohoo

:woohoo:

[bobburgster]

130. Thank goodness!

I believe the Patriot Act is just a slow crawl towards a police state.

[WillyT]

131. HUGE K & R !!!

:kick:

[BrklynLiberal]

132. Amazing what strange bedfellows can do............