US President George W. Bush signs a 15-day extension to the Protect America Act after his speech, Thursday, January 31, 2008, in Las Vegas. 

US President George W. Bush signed a 15-day extension of a surveillance law on Thursday after he failed to have Congress make it permanent.

"I will sign the extension, but I expect members of both political parties to get this work done so our professionals can protect the American people," Bush said before signing the law.

The law, the Protect American Act, is set to expire on January 31.

In August, Congress hastily approved at request of Bush's administration the law, or an update to the 30-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, to allow the government temporarily having more power to intercept foreign communications without a court order even involving Americans.

However, Bush still asked Congress to make the Protect American Act a permanent and expanded law before it is expired in six months, but was opposed by many Democrats, who hope to change the law to provide additional oversight when the authorities eavesdrops on US citizens communicating with foreign parties.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid proposed earlier this month to extend the Protect America Act without expanding it, but was blocked by Senate Republicans.

The core of the controversy is whether the wireless surveillance program violated provisions of the original FISA law that requires warrants for wiretaps whenever one of the parties involved in the communication resides in the United States.
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(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2008)