Congress turns away from post-9/11 law, retooling U.S. surveillance powers

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) does an interview with Fox News on Capitol Hill on June 1. In protest of the NSA's bulk collection program, Paul blocked an extension of some parts of the USA Patriot Act, allowing them to lapse at 12:01 a.m. Monday. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

By Mike DeBonis-June 2

Congress on Tuesday rejected some of the sweeping intelligence-gathering powers it granted national security officials after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with the Senate voting to end the government’s bulk collection of private telephone records and to reform other surveillance policies.

Congress Turns Away From Post 9 11 Law, Retooling U.S. Surveillance Powers by Thavam Ratna