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Tenn. Senators split votes on terror surveillance bill

senate.gov

WASHINGTON, DC  (WMOT)  --  Tennessee’s U.S. Senators yesterday canceled each other’s votes on a replacement bill for the expired terror surveillance act.

The Tennessean says Senator Lamar Alexander joined 66 fellow senators in passing the USA Freedom Act, a replacement for the 9-11 era Patriot Act. President Obama quickly signed the measure last night, restoring some surveillance capabilities the administration says it needs to track terror suspects.

Alexander called the new law “inadequate” but also says it contains some tools critical to keeping Americans safe in what he described as a “time of increased threats from terrorists.”

Senator Bob Corker voted against the measure saying that it doesn’t provide enough surveillance authority to keep the nation safe.

Both Corker and Alexander say they would have preferred simply renewing the more far reaching Patriot Act.

That bill was stalled in the Senate by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and a handful of supporters who complained the Patriot Act violated privacy rights.