The U.S. Senate on Wednesday moved closer to renew the anti-terrorism USA Patriot Act, by approving a bill to curb some powers of the law.

The Senate by a vote of 95-4 approved the bill to add more safeguards of civil rights and sent the bill to the House of Representatives for action.

The Senate's move on Wednesday almost made it certain the law, which was enacted soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and expanded the government's power to obtain private records, conduct wiretaps and secret searches and share information, to be renewed before it expires on March 10.

Earlier in the day, the Senate voted to end debate on a separate House-passed measure to renew the Patriot Act.

Sixteen provisions of the law would have expired on Dec. 31 last year, but were extended twice by the Congress to allow more time for lawmakers to resolve the stalemate and find common ground.

Source: Xinhua