You’re absolutely right. But McConnell and his ilk do not want the Patriot Act amended AT ALL. He would not allow any amendments and does not like the USA Freedom Act because it amends the Patriot Act. He made sure the USA Freedom Act did not achieve cloture so that he could push senators up against a wall so they would just HAVE to renew the law unattended, or at least extend it.
But Paul’s not playing. And it’s McConnell who’s now backed against a wall, forced to “submit or else!”
Untrue. The Patriot Act has been amended by the Senate and Congress as a whole NUMEROUS times since its original passage in 2001, starting with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Various changes over the years include major alterations of the roving wiretap provisions of the Patriot Act, modifications of Section 213 of the Patriot Act, merging previous provisions into a new section of Title 18 of the U.S. Code, increased congressional oversight for emergency disclosures by communication providers undertaken under section 212 of the Patriot Act, Section 215 was amended further regardless so as to give greater judicial oversight and review, Section 215 also had a "gag" provision, which was changed to allow the defendant to contact their Attorney, etc., etc.