DOJ courts Senate on warrantless spy bill ahead of looming deadline

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday sought to assuage concerts over a provision included in the bill to reauthorize the nation’s warrantless spy powers that would shift the definition of which communications companies must comply.

The provision, added in an amendment approved by the House, is one of several alarming Senate privacy hawks as they take up legislation to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

The amendment addresses a somewhat...