Utah U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett voted for the renewal of the Patriot Act in a 89-10 vote on Thursday. The bill now goes to the House, which is expected to pass it.
Orrin Hatch: “I just hope that this bill will work as well as the original Patriot Act, which has done so well” at preventing terrorist attacks.
Bush, in a statement issued by the White House while he was in India, applauded the Senate for overcoming what he said were attempts by Democrats to block the bill’s passage.
“This bill will allow our law enforcement officials to continue to use the same tools against terrorists that are already used against drug dealers and other criminals, while safeguarding the civil liberties of the American people,” he said.
Critics maintained the bill is weighted too much toward the interests of law enforcement.
Lawmakers who voted for the package acknowledged deep reservations about the power it would grant to any president.
“Our support for the Patriot Act does not mean a blank check for the president,” said Democratic leader Harry Reid. “What we tried to do on a bipartisan basis is have a better bill. It has been improved.”
The vote was a significant victory for Bush after revelations late last year that he had authorized a domestic wiretapping program provided ammunition to senators demanding more privacy protections in the Patriot Act.
As a result of a filibuster and deadlock in December, the bill was amended to “curb some powers of law enforcement officials seeking information”.
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Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 