NSA Program For The Bulk Collection Of Phone Records Is On The Verge of Being Shut Down

The Guardian: NSA bulk phone records collection to end despite USA Freedom Act failure

* Administration has not applied to secret court for 90-day extension
* USA Freedom Act fails in early hours after long Senate session

Even as the Senate remains at an impasse over the future of US domestic surveillance powers, the National Security Agency will be legally unable to collect US phone records in bulk by the time Congress returns from its Memorial Day vacation.

The administration, as suggested in a memo it sent Congress on Wednesday, declined to ask a secret surveillance court for another 90-day extension of the order necessary to collect US phone metadata in bulk. The filing deadline was Friday, hours before the Senate failed to come to terms on a bill that would have formally repealed the NSA domestic surveillance program.

WNU Editor: Another vindication for NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

More News On The NSA Program For The Bulk Collection of Phone Records

NSA Begins Dismantling Phone Data Collection Program -- NSA
Senate to Try Again After Bill on N.S.A. Collection of Phone Records Is Blocked -- NYT
U.S. Senate Blocks NSA Surveillance Bill, Patriot Act Extension -- WSJ
Senate blocks measures to extend NSA program -- CNN
The Senate Fails to Reform NSA Spying, Votes Against USA Freedom Act -- Wired
US Senate blocks bill to end NSA phone data collection -- BBC
The Obama administration just effectively ended one of the NSA's most controversial programs -- Business Insider
Last night NSA scare tactics finally stopped working -- VOX
Failed Senate Votes Mean Gap in NSA Phone Tap Program -- Bloomberg
Senate blocks House bill on NSA surveillance. What happens next? -- Jessica Mendoza, CSM