US Post-9/11 Surveillance Law Renewed

US Congress lawmakers have agreed to extend a series of controversial surveillance and search powers, known as the Patriot Act, in force since the 9/11, 2001 attacks. The agreement calls for the extension of key powers of the act for an additional five years, AFP reports. Under the arrangement, the Senate and House of Representatives will hold a vote on extending the controversial powers at the core of the act before they lapse on May 27, according to several congressional aides.

The officials said the vote would be "a clean extension" to June 1, 2015, meaning it would not include new civil liberties safeguards sought by some senior lawmakers of the major parties of Republicans and Democrats.

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