House Narrowly Renews Patriot Act

The House renewed the Patriot Act in a cliffhanger vote Tuesday, extending a centerpiece of the war on terrorism at President Bush’s urging after months of political combat over the balance between privacy rights and the pursuit of potential terrorists.

Bush, forced by filibuster to accept new curbs on law enforcement inquiries, is expected to sign the bill before 16 provisions of the 2001 law expire Friday.

The vote was 280 to 138, two more than needed under special rules that required a two-thirds majority. The close vote caught senior Republican aides in both chambers by surprise. Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.), the sponsor of the new civil liberties protections, worked the House floor as representatives cast their votes.

Nonetheless, the vote marked a political victory for Bush and will allow congressional Republicans facing midterm elections this year to continue touting a tough-on-terrorism stance. Bush’s approval ratings have suffered in recent months after revelations that he had authorized secret, warrantless wiretapping of Americans and others.

That issue helped fuel a two-month Senate filibuster that forced the White House to accept some new restrictions on information gathered in terrorism probes.

Republicans on Tuesday declared the legislative war won, saying the renewal of the act’s 16 provisions along with new curbs on government investigatory power will help law enforcement prevent terrorists from striking.

“Intense congressional and public scrutiny has not produced a single substantiated claim that the Patriot Act has been misused to violate Americans’ civil liberties,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.). “Opponents of the legislation have relied upon exaggeration and hyperbole to distort a demonstrated record of accomplishment and success.”

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said: “The president looks forward to signing the bill into law.”