Lieberman sees smooth sailing for Patriot Act extension this week

Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) on Monday said he expects relatively smooth passage of a bill to extend three expiring surveillance authorities under the Patriot Act.

"As I understand it, there's been a leadership agreement, which I certainly support, to adopt a so-called clean bill on the three provisions that are running out at the end of this week, which are very important to our national security and the war on terrorism," he said after a hearing Monday.

"So, I think we're going to get this done by the end of the week, without a lot of controversy."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Thursday introduced a bill extending the three authorities until June 1, 2015. That's a shorter extension than what most Republicans wanted, but it does not include new congressional oversight language that Republicans wanted to avoid.

The Senate is expected to hold a cloture vote on that bill, S. 1038, Monday evening. The House is also expected to pass a bill before the surveillance authority expires on Friday, but no bill had been made public by noon Monday.