White House has signaled it may seek permanent renewal of controversial surveillance power
Source: Washington Post
National Security
White House has signaled it may seek permanent renewal of controversial surveillance power
By Ellen Nakashima, National security reporter
May 1 at 6:00 AM
The Trump administration has signaled in recent weeks that it may seek the permanent renewal of a surveillance law that has, among other things, enabled the National Security Agency to gather and analyze Americans’ phone records as part of terrorism investigations, according to five U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
The White House, these officials said, was prepared to issue a public statement calling on Congress to reauthorize in full Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which in the past has been the focus of heated debate over the acceptable bounds of government surveillance. The plan to issue a statement was put on hold, officials said, but it illustrates nonetheless where the administration stands on the contested issue of national security authority.
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an issue that remains deeply sensitive. ... A White House spokeswoman declined to comment or explain why the statement was not issued, saying only that the matter is still under deliberation.
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Ellen Nakashima is a national security reporter for The Washington Post. She covers cybersecurity, surveillance, counterterrorism and intelligence issues. She has also served as a Southeast Asia correspondent and covered the White House and Virginia state politics. She joined The Post in 1995. Follow https://twitter.com/nakashimae
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/white-house-has-signaled-it-may-seek-permanent-renewal-of-controversial-surveillance-power/2019/04/30/b4407af2-67a5-11e9-8985-4cf30147bdca_story.html
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On people. 
