[JURIST] After efforts to reach a long-term renewal of the USA Patriot Act [PDF text] stalled again [JURIST report] last week, Congress is set to approve another short-term extension of the legislation to allow continued negotiations on the balance between civil liberties and the war on terror. Sixteen key provisions [DOJ report, PDF] of the Patriot Act were set to expire at the end of last year, but members of Congress were unable to reach an agreement [JURIST report] on a long-term extension before Christmas, and instead passed a one-month extension [JURIST report] that will expire February 3. The US House of Representatives is due to vote Wednesday on a second extension that will last until March 10, and a Senate vote is expected to follow before Friday. Senate Democrats and four Republican senators are pressing for more civil liberties protections to be incorporated in the renewal legislation. AP has more.

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