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Moments after the deadline passed, the US Senate passed a key part of the FISA act, serves as a critical tool used by the government to gather intelligence on foreign subjects using the compelled assistance of electronic communication service providers.
The upper chamber voted 60-34 to pass the re-authorization. The provision lapsed for less than an hour at midnight on Friday, and if the renewal hadn't passed soon after, the expiration would have meant companies would not be forced to comply with the government's requests for surveillance aid under the bill.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz voted against it while John Cornyn voted in favor of it.
This now heads to President Biden's desk for his signature.