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The United States Congress has given President George W Bush another five weeks to renew the Patriot Act, an antiterrorism law introduced in 2001, with some new civil liberties protections.
About 16 provisions of the Patriot Act expired last December 31, but the Congress extended them until Friday after Democrats and some Republicans sought an avenue of appeals when the Federal Bureau of Investigation made demands for people's financial and other private records.
"We need the Patriot Act," said Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, adding, "I am prepared to work on it further to improve it."
The Senate voted 95-1 on Thursday to extend the current law unchanged through March 10 and give negotiators more time to reach a deal on it.
The House passed the extension on Wednesday amid reports that some Democrat and Republican officials, involved in negotiations, had reached on an agreement on several issues but that others needed more time.