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Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Senate kills Patriot Act provision that allowed Justice Department to appoint U.S. attorneys without Senate confirmation
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate voted Tuesday to kill a provision of the Patriot Act that allows the Justice Department to replace U.S. attorneys without going through Senate confirmation, a practice that has caused an uproar in the nation's capital and contributed to calls for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' resignation.

The Senate passed the measure 94-2, shortly before White House Counsel Fred Fielding was due on Capitol Hill to talk about whether White House officials would be allowed to testify before congressional committees investigating the firing of several U.S. attorneys.

Related video: GOP Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told CNN he wants White House officials to testify on the U.S. attorney firings

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