The US Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to end the unwarranted bulk collection of millions of US citizens' phone records. The so-called USA Freedom Act, first approved by the House of Representatives on May 13, has been hailed by privacy and civil rights groups for reducing government surveillance on the general public. But it has also drawn sharp criticism for not going nearly far enough.

US President Barack Obama immediately signed the legislation. In his address on the weekend, he urged the lawmakers to pass the bill and claimed that the new act will help build confidence among the American people that their privacy and civil liberties are being protected.

Missing in the speeches by Obama and many people supportive of restricting the rampant surveillance by the National Security Agency was any mention of Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor whose revelations two years ago resulted in the public outcry against the intrusive government surveillance.