The Washington Post reports that the House of Representatives fell seven votes short of "extending provisions of the Patriot Act. The bill, which would have reauthorized "key parts of the counter-terrorism surveillance law" that expire at the end of the month, "required a super-majority to pass under special rules reserved for non-controversial measures." Yet, it fell short under that rule, although a majority of House members voted to reauthorize it after 26 Republicans bucked their leadership, "eight of them freshman lawmakers elected in November's midterm elections." The vote tally, largely along party lines with most Democrats voting against it, "was 277 members in favor of extension, and 148 opposed."
WooHoo!
