Three U.S. officials familiar with the matter say that President Obama is likely to cosign changes to the way the NSA and other government agencies collect phone information for possible future surveillance of Americans.
The changes are not yet set in stone and would mainly effect Section 215 of the Patriot Act. Widely controversial, the law was passed shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Congress reauthorized the law in 2011. Last month, a federal judge said that the law was likely unconstitutional and failed to thwart any terror plots. The Justice Department remains steadfast in their defense of Section 215.
The review was sparked by public revelations made by former NSA analyst Edward Snowden last year when he leaked classified documents about the agency’s practices.
Source: Associated Press