The provision of the U.S. Patriot Act that authorized the mass collection of phone records in the United States and abroad is set to expire at the end of this month. The National Security Agency has been collecting data from personal phone calls in an effort to prevent another terrorist attack. The U.S. House of Representatives has taken action and passed a bill that strictly narrows the scope of this surveillance. But some members of the U.S. Senate want to leave the Patriot Act as it and renew it. Listen to learn more about this debate and the impact it will have on how government surveillance is used to fight terrorism.
Story Length: 3:46
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April 28, 2015
5:56
The National Security Agency or NSA has been under scrutiny since one of its former workers, Edward Snowden, exposed the government agency’s widespread domestic surveillance programs in 2013. This revelation didn’t just change the way the American public understood the role of the NSA, it also changed the way technology companies and potential employees did. Now it’s harder for the NSA to recruit potential code breakers and spies. Listen to learn how these changed perceptions have complicated the government’s recruiting efforts.
Read MoreDecember 30, 2014
2:59
Our economy relies on long haul truckers driving goods across the country. But the pressure to make deadlines and earn money can come at the expense of sleep. In 2012, 3,500 people died as a result of large truck crashes and in many cases it’s because the driver fell asleep. Congress recently rolled back a regulation that increases the sleep requirements for drivers. Do these regulations fight driver fatigue or do they just push truck traffic to rush hour? Listen to learn more about these regulations and their effect.
Read MoreJune 5, 2014
4:04
The White House recently swapped five Guantanamo prisoners for one U.S army sergeant who was a prisoner of war in Afghanistan. However, Congress is upset because the President didn't consult with them before making the trade. Some legislators feel that this event was designed to further the Obama Administration's legacy. Listen to this radio story to learn why.
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