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			US President Barack Obama has signed into law the landmark USA Freedom Act, forcing intelligence agencies to set up a system that will leave telephone metadata with telecom companies rather than with the government.&nbsp;</div>
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			Obama signed the Bill late last night, hours after the Senate voted in its favour by 67-32 votes, significantly reversing America&#39;s most controversial surveillance program since 9/11.</div>
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			Republican-controlled Senate voted in favour of the Bill more than 36 hours after some of the key provisions of the Patriot Act Expired.&nbsp;</div>
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			&quot;After a needless delay, my administration will work expeditiously to ensure our national security professionals again have the full set of vital tools they need to continue protecting the country,&quot; Obama said.&nbsp;</div>
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			Enactment of this legislation will strengthen civil liberty safeguards and provide greater public confidence in these programs, including by prohibiting bulk collection through the use of Section 215, FISA pen registers, and National Security Letters and by providing the American people with additional transparency measures, he said. &nbsp;</div>
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			The new law puts a limit on the National Security Agency&#39;s (NSA) ability to scoop up and store telephone numbers, dates and times of calls from millions of Americans who have no connection to terrorism.&nbsp;</div>
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			The NSA&#39;s practice of bulk collection of Americans&#39; data was disclosed by former contractor Edward Snowden.&nbsp;<br />
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The US Senate has approved the reform of the National Security Agency surveillance bill without attaching any amendments, ensuring that only President Barack Obama's signature is now required to reinstate the program.

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				Republican leader Nancy Pelosi said the bipartisan USA Freedom Act overwhelmingly passed by the House provides thoughtful reforms of intelligence gathering tools designed to keep Americans safe.&nbsp;</div>
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				Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who voted against the Bill said the USA Freedom Act fails to provide the intelligence agencies with the critical capabilities the country needs to prevent future terrorist attacks against homeland.&nbsp;</div>
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				The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) welcomed the passage of the Freedom Act.&nbsp;</div>
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				&quot;Meaningful surveillance reform has been a top priority for the technology sector. We thank the Senators and Members of Congress who voted to pass this Bill that effectively ends indiscriminate bulk collection of data and brings needed transparency to the process by allowing tech companies to report information about government orders they receive for access to data,&quot; said president and CEO Dean Garfield.&nbsp;</div>
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				Republican presidential aspirant Senator Marco Rubio voted against the bill, saying the &#39;USA Freedom Act&#39; weakens US national security by outlawing the very programmes the intelligence community and the FBI have used to protect Americans time and time again.</div>
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Senate passes USA Freedom Act, powers of NSA curtailed

Bill ends bulk collection of Americans' phone records

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