Americans in Danger after NSA Program Lapse?
The Senate approved a measure Tuesday that reforms the NSA's once secret mass collection of Americans' phone records.
The bill still needs to go back to the House for approval. Both parties are urging not to make any changes that could endanger it's final passage.
Meanwhile, the NSA has been forced to stop collecting Americans' phone records in bulk, at least for now. But many experts say the temporary lapse endangers Americans.
Congress missed the deadline Sunday to keep key parts of the U.S. Patriot Act from expiring after the Senate, led by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., failed to take action.
Intelligence officials warn any lapse in surveillance puts the nation at risk. CBN News Terrorism Analyst Erick Stakelbeck says it's a "very difficult issue."
"On one hand, this program has been essential to infiltrating and breaking up Islamic terrorist networks here in the United States," he said. "Maybe it didn't break up a specific plot that we know about, but that's not really the point of this program."
"The main point is identifying patterns and networks and patterns of communication between Islamic radicals and any kind of radical in the country," he said.
"On the other hand, I do understand people's hesitancy," Stakelbeck continued. "They feel it's giving the government a lot of power. I think the main issue is a lack of trust in the Obama administration."
*Does the NSA spy program cross the balance between privacy and security? Erick Stakelbeck talks about this and more and how the lapse puts Americans at big risk of a terrorist attack.
