Many provisions of the Patriot Act were due to expire at the end of this year, and President
Bush pushed hard to get them renewed before January. But some congressional leaders, concerned about civil liberties being stripped by the act, refused, pushing instead for a limited extension while those problems are addressed. The U.S. Congress reached a last-minute compromise in late December to extend the Patriot Act for five weeks while lawmakers work out their disagreements. The Patriot Act has 16 provisions that give the government extensive surveillance and legal powers to use against suspected terrorists. They range from the authority to intercept electronic communication to the ability of law enforcement agencies to delay notice of the execution of a warrant. In other words, under special circumstances, suspected terrorists may be subject to searches without ever being notified. Proponents of the act suggest that its provisions are ensuring a safer United States. They say citizens should remain focused on the issue of safety, the central point of the Patriot