Senate Intel chief sees surveillance powers in must-pass legislation

The Hill: A bill renewing a powerful surveillance authority will “likely” be rolled into must-pass legislation at the end of the year, rather than voted on as a stand-alone measure, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr said Tuesday.

The North Carolina Republican, whose committee advanced the bill 12-3 in October, did not specify what the vehicle could be, though Congress must approve legislation by Dec. 8 to keep the government open.

If lawmakers approve a short stopgap measure to prevent a shutdown, it’s possible another must-pass spending bill would need to be approved by the end of the year.

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