Senate passes USA Freedom Act, curbing NSA phone-data collection

Congress approved sweeping changes Tuesday to surveillance laws enacted after the Sept. 11 attacks, eliminating the National Security Agency's disputed bulk phone-records collection program and replacing it with a more restrictive measure to keep the records in phone companies' hands.

Two days after Congress let the phone-records and several other anti-terror programs expire, the Senate's 67-32 vote sent the legislation to President Barack Obama, who planned to sign it promptly.

See also: Rand Paul takes over Senate floor to excoriate NSA surveillance

Glad the Senate finally passed the USA Freedom Act. It protects civil liberties and our national security. I'll sign it as soon as I get it.

— President Obama (@POTUS) June 2, 2015 Read more...