WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- President Bush welcomed the Senate's bipartisan agreement Wednesday to extend expiring Patriot Act provisions.
The extension would be for six month.
"I appreciate the Senate for working to keep the existing Patriot Act in law through next July, despite boasts last week by the Democratic leader that he had blocked the Act," Bush said. "No one should be allowed to block the Patriot Act to score political points, and I am grateful the Senate rejected that approach."
The Patriot Act was enacted with overwhelming support in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. It's purpose was to allow greater information sharing among government agencies and included a number of controversial provisions, including roving wiretaps of suspected terrorist telephones.
A number of the provisions were to expire at the end of the month. The House passed their adoption but in the Senate Democrats and eight Republicans held up the bill.
Bush accused the Democrats of playing politics with the nation's security.
"The Patriot Act is a vital tool for America in the war on terror," he said. "The Act has torn down the wall between law enforcement and intelligence officials to help us connect the dots and prevent attacks. The work of Congress on the Patriot Act is not finished.
"The Act will expire next summer, but the terrorist threat to America will not expire on that schedule.I look forward to continuing to work with Congress to re-authorize the Patriot Act."
