The Senate was just one vote short of adopting an amendment that would have required a search warrant for the government to conduct secret surveillance of internet users’ search and web browsing data.
The vote 59-37 vote Wednesday, with 60 needed to adopt the amendment, was a defeat for privacy advocates.
The amendment to require warrants was sponsored by Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana and Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon. It would have limited the authority under Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allowed the government to access a variety of records in national security investigations.
“The American people will not tolerate warrantless government spying,” Wyden said Wednesday on the Senate floor.
“If you want to see an American’s search history, then you better go to a judge and get a warrant,” Daines said.
Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Democrat Patty Murray of Washington did not vote. Murray was flying back to Washington on Wednesday.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-13/senate-blocks-warrant-rule-for-secret-internet-surveillance?fbclid=IwAR2RlLoE5LFjRp3io1kMLzi-LWw-iBiJguCPHVWURZsoxcTtPciA_ybrtm8
