Earlier today the U.S. Senate defeated an Amendment to strike the provisions providing immunity from civil liability to electronic communication service providers for certain assistance provided to the Government.

The White House-backed surveillance measure, which grants legal immunity to companies alleged to have helped the government's warrantless spy program, passed the Senate yesterday. Now the battle shifts to the House of Representatives, where the House bill passed last year doesn't include a provision to immunize phone companies. The law that currently governs government surveillance is set to expire at the end of this week.

Today's vote was 31 for the Amendment, 67 against, with two Senators- including Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, not voting.

See Russell Shaw's Regulation Blog on TMCnet and this Wall Street Journal article for details.