Defense

House and Senate leaders have reached a deal to extend three expiring Patriot Act surveillance authorities for four years. 

Reid's approach differs from legislation backed by House Republicans as well as proposals from other Democrats.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) on Wednesday warned the Obama administration against trying to justify prolonged military involvement in Libya, and repeated that he would force a House vote in the coming weeks that would end that involvement. His warning came just one day before President Obama is expected to give a speech that many members of Congress are hoping will outline the administration's military plans there.

Kucinich said he believes Obama will call for continued military action, while avoiding the need to seek congressional approval once a 60-day window expires that allows military engagement without congressional approval.

"Notwithstanding both Constitutional and statutory prohibitions, the President has reportedly asked his advisors to find a suitable legal justification for continuing U.S. aggression in Libya," Kucinich said.  "Support for the war is shrinking, yet the war is expanding, without constitutionally required authorization."

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Pete King (R-N.Y.) will hold a hearing on May 25 on the U.S. national-security implications of the death of Osama bin Laden.

"At this hearing, the Committee will examine the near-term and long-term consequences and benefits to the security of our homeland resulting from the successful killing of al Qaeda's founder and top leader," King said. "While the removal of bin Laden from the battlefield is certainly a victory in our war against al Qaeda and its affiliates, it also means increased risk of retaliatory attacks against America by bin Laden supporters, just as we have seen recently in Pakistan."

King's hearing will not include current administration officials, but rather three cable television terrorism analysts. Two are CNN contributors: Peter Bergen of the New America Foundation and Frances Townsend, former counterterrorism adviser to President George W. Bush. The third, Evan Kohlmann of Flashpoint Partners, is an MSNBC terrorism analyst.

The House next week is expected to debate and vote on the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2012.

The House Armed Services Committee last week reported out the bill, H.R. 1540, which provides $690 billion in funding for the Department of Defense and national security programs within the Department of Energy. The committee approved the bill in a 60-1 vote.

Members of Congress this week will be closely listening to President Obama's Thursday speech at the State Department for a clarification on whether U.S. military forces will continue operations in Libya beyond late May, which many believe would require congressional approval.

The United Nations on March 17 voted to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya, and military operations began on March 19. The Obama administration authorized the participation of U.S. military forces under the War Powers Resolution, which allows the president to commit U.S. forces for up to 60 days without congressional approval.

Grimm-Reed amendment does not include the military and will likely be the only House honors for the mission.

The House on Thursday afternoon accepted two Democratic amendments to a bill authorizing intelligence spending for the rest of FY 2011.

The first, from Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.), would require intelligence agencies to work with black colleges to develop curricula that will prepare students for intelligence careers. The second, from Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), would require a report on the diversity of intelligence officers.

The House ended debate on amendments to the bill, H.R. 754, at about 4:20 p.m., and will need to take up four roll-call votes on amendments Friday before moving to a vote on the bill itself. Several Democrats indicated earlier in the day that they would support the bill.

The White House on Wednesday did not issue a veto threat, but warned the House not to cut intelligence funding.

House Democrats led by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.) have introduced alternative legislation for reauthorizing Patriot Act surveillance authorities.

The bill, H.R. 1805, would offer much shorter extensions than a bill House Republicans are expected to vote on this month, and would require the government to offer more written justification before conducting surveillance. This stands in contrast to the GOP bill, which imposes none of these hurdles.

"Their bill would make no improvements to the PATRIOT Act," Conyers said. "It includes no new protections for privacy. It requires no reporting to Congress. I do not support this approach."