An effort to quietly pass an extension of key provisions in the Patriot Act under the same rules the House uses to name Post Offices failed in a Tuesday night vote.
The vote, which required two-thirds of the House, fell short 277-148. It needed just seven more votes to pass.
The lower chamber tried to pass the extension by suspending the rules, which is typically used to pass non-controversial bills. A second attempt under different rules is expected before they expire on Feb. 28.
The provisions provide the federal government the power to conduct roving wiretaps, access public library check-out information, and the “lone wolf” provision that tracks citizens who may not be connected to larger terrorist groups.
The White House is pushing for an extension until 2013.