This New York Times article, Republicans Want Terror Law Made Permanent, indicates there is a partisan fight afoot on the Hill over a proposal by Sen. Orrin Hatch to make specific provisions of the Patriot Act permanent, rather than allowing them to expire (“sunset”) in 2005 as originally specified. As follows, here is the applicable section of the Patriot Act (sec. 224, Sunset):
(a) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subsection (b), this title and the amendments made by this title (other than sections 203(a), 203(c), 205, 208, 210, 211, 213, 216, 219, 221, and 222, and the amendments made by those sections) shall cease to have effect on December 31, 2005.