Senate Extends Patriot Act

The United States Senate has voted to extend the controversial “Patriot Act” for three months, giving the federal government broad authority to eavesdrop on citizens in the search for terrorist activity.

Montana Senator Jon Tester was one of twelve who voted against the extension. He argued that provisions of the Patriot Act go against his sworn oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States.

Tester cited roving wiretaps of a “type of person,” instead of a particular person over multiple phone lines and reasonable suspicion standards to require libraries and businesses to report what American ciutizens buy or borrow as two reasons for his opposition.

The Patriot Act was extended by a vote of 86 – 12.

Tester feels the extension simply “puts off the debate we need to have for another day. He noted what he called some really troubling things that are not addressed by the extension of the law.