NSA Winds Down Record Collecting

The National Security Agency is beginning to wind down its phone recording collection after the Senate didn't come to an agreement on a path forward to extend or alter the program ahead of its expiration next month. Unless there is a compromise reached when the Senate returns to session on May 31, some of the surveillance tools of the agency will come to an end on midnight of that day. Late Friday night, Senate Republicans blocked a bill entitled the USA Freedom Act which would have ended the enormous collecting arm of the NSA. It fell three votes short of the necessary 60 to pass.