US House rejects amendment to defund NSA

The US House on Wednesday narrowly rejected a proposal to restrict the National Security Agency's phone surveillance program exposed by Edward Snowden. The vote was 217-205 and the bill was narrowly rejected. Backing the amendment were 94 Republicans and 111 Democrats whereas 134 Republicans and 83 Democrats rejected the bill including House Speaker John Boehner, who typically does not vote and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Republican MP Justin Amash of Michigan, had offered a bill to introduce measures for the collection of Americans' phone records as an addition to a $598.3 billion defense spending bill for 2014. Keith Alexander, Director of the NSA, made appeals to lawmakers to oppose the amendment in the meantime. Had been accepted, funding of National Security Agency's phone surveillance program would be blocked unless it identified an individual under investigation. The much debated phone surveillance program of NSA was exposed by Edward Snowden.