Compromise on controversial law.

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Late last year, renewal of the controversial USA PATRIOT Act was stalled when four Republican senators joined Democrats in a filibuster that blocked the revised bill and called for civil liberties protections.

Because of the deadlock, lawmakers resorted to extending the old law temporarily, a short-term solution that drew the ire of the Bush administration and many congressional leaders.

In February, legislation to renew the act was cleared for final passage by Congress after a compromise between Senate Republicans and the White House.

According to the Associated Press, the compromise:

* Gives those who receive court-approved subpoenas for information in terrorist investigations the right to challenge an accompanying judicial order not to discuss the case publicly, though they would have to wait one year

* Eliminates a requirement that an individual provide the FBI with the name of a lawyer he or she consulted about a National Security Letter, which is a demand for records issued by investigators

* Clarifies that most libraries are not subject to demands in those letters for information about suspected terrorists

While giving federal agents expanded powers to investigate terror suspects in the United States has been a major point of contention among lawmakers, concern over the government's ability to demand information from libraries also played a large role in the filibuster.

Republicans said that with the changes, it would be highly unlikely that any library would have to turn over records. However, according to the New York Times, the administration would still have the power...