The House of Representatives has passed a bill extending the National Security Administration’s warrantless surveillance program for six years, rejecting a years-long effort from a bipartisan group of lawmakers to make changes that would protect the privacy of American citizens. The law allows the NSA to obtain the communications of foreigners from American companies like Google and AT&T without a warrant, even if data on American citizens is swept up in the process. The law now faces a vote in the Senate. Debate over the practice was kicked off 2013 after NSA contractor Edward Snowden released classified materials on the United States’ surveillance policies. Congresswoman Susan DelBene, who represents Washington State’s first district, was among those who opposed the law.

 

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