US Senate Blocks Bill to Extend 'Patriot Act' Surveillance Programmes

Washington: Legislation to extend for two months a programme in which spy agencies sweep up vast amounts of data about Americans' telephone calls was blocked in the US Senate early today, adding to uncertainty about the future of the program.

The Senate voted 45-54 on the procedural measure to stop debate on the extension of provisions of the "USA Patriot Act," falling well short of the 60 votes in favor needed to advance the measure. The legal authorities that allow the collection of so-called telephone "metadata" expire on June 1.