[JURIST] The US Senate has voted to approve the one-month extension [JURIST report] of the Patriot Act [JURIST news archive] passed by the House of Representatives earlier Thursday after House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. James Sesenbrenner blocked a six-month Senate extension on the grounds that the original Patriot Act conference report making key provisions of the Act permanent needed to be reconsidered in a timely manner [Sensenbrenner press release]. Ranking Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat Patrick Leahy supported the one-month holdover [press release], saying the time was less important than the need for a good faith effort to improve the Patriot Act to better balance security and liberty concerns. The legislation now goes to the President for signature. Reuters has more.