The weeks-long buildup to the final NSA vote was full of drama.
First, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul assailed the NSA in a long-winded, 10-hour speech that roused civil libertarians around the country. He opposed both renewing the post 9/11-Patriot Act and the compromise measure — that eventually passed — now known as the USA Freedom Act.
Obama welcomed the bill’s final passage on Tuesday, but took a shot at those who held it up.
“After a needless delay and inexcusable lapse in important national security authorities, my administration will work expeditiously to ensure our national security professionals again have the full set of vital tools they need to continue protecting the country,” he said in a statement.
Now that Obama has signed the bill, his administration will get to work getting the bulk metadata collection program back up and running during a six-month transition period to the new data collection system.
Senior administration officials described a two-step process: The first is the technical process — essentially flipping the switches back and coordinating the databases of information stored by the government — which takes a full day. Source: CNN
Source: CNN
The second is a legal process that could take longer. The government needs to make a filing with the special secretive court — which has authorized the bulk metadata collection program since 2006 — to verify that the metadata programs are legal under the new law. Sound confusing?
It’s unclear how long the process would take, but one official estimated the process could take three or four days.
