The Patriot Act Just Made Rand Paul GOP Enemy No. 1

The three provisions that expired at midnight include Section 215, which was the legal basis for the NSA’s bulk collection of metadata; the provision on roving wiretaps; and a section authorizing surveillance against so-called lone wolves.
But Paul’s actions won’t have lasting effect, from the perspective of the law.
While the authorities are expiring, the expectation is that the Senate will return later this week to reauthorize sections of the Patriot Act, albeit with reforms and restrictions outlined in the House-passed USA Freedom Act. In the meantime, backdoor provisions and alternate collection schemes will allow U.S. spies to continue surveilling important targets. READ MORE