Sen. Cotton wants to extend bulk data collection

A Republican senator is using the terrorist attacks in Paris in an attempt to extend the bulk collection of metadata.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has proposed the “Liberty Through Strength Act,” which would extend the National Security Agency’s authorization to engage in the bulk collection of telephonic metadata to Jan. 31, 2017. Under the terms of the USA Freedom Act passed in June, the current program is set to end at 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 28 this year. A statement issued by Cotton’s office suggests, seemingly incorrectly, that the program would end on Dec. 1.