Well, the House and Senate just can’t seem to get it together, yet again. The House voted today, on voice vote, to extend the existing Patriot Act for just one month. Last night the Senate voted to extend the existing Patriot Act for six months while it works on civil liberties protections in the permanent reauthorization.

According to the Associated Press, Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) refused to agree to a six month extension of the existing Patriot Act.

The reauthorization of the Patriot Act had stalled in the Senate after the bill which came out of conference had been stripped of civil liberties protections added to the Senate version.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he decided on the six-month extension, although he, too, had repeatedly said he would reject “short-term” extensions such as for three months.

The agreement to extend the Patriot Act in its existing form for six months “made the most sense,” Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.) told reporters moments after Senate leaders announced the breakthrough. He was among a handful of Republicans who joined most Senate Democrats in insisting that the planned four-year renewal of the law contain more civil liberties protections.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the key to breaking the impasse in the Senate was a letter — signed earlier yesterday by 52 of the 100 senators, including eight Republicans — that urged GOP leaders to call a truce in the battle over the act’s renewal. They sought a three-month extension of the existing statute but later agreed to six months. — Washington Post

I’m sure we’ll hear some strong words from Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) about this one.