(MENAFN- QNA) U.S. President Barack Obama urged the Congress to renew key provisions of the Patriot Act before a Sunday deadline, arguing that failing to do so could put the nation at greater risk of terrorist threats.
Obama called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to pass a bipartisan reform bill approved in a 338-88 House vote.
The Senate failed to move forward with the House bill late last week when a procedural motion won only 57 votes three short of the number needed to proceed.
"We’ve only got a few days," Obama said. "Authorities expire Sunday at midnight and I don’t want us to be in a situation where for a certain period of time those authorities go away. ... I’ve indicated to Leader McConnell and other senators, I expect them to take action and take action swiftly."
Obama said "the only thing that’s standing in the way" of the USA Freedom Act "is a handful of senators who are resistant to these reforms."
"This is not an issue where we have to choose between security and civil liberties, this is an issue in which we in fact have struck the right balance and shaped a piece of legislation that everybody can support," he said. "So let’s go out and get it done."
Obama's comments came after a meeting with Lynch, in which they discussed cyber security, counterterrorism, and police reforms.
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