The phone data collection program “exceeds the scope of what Congress has authorized," a judge ruled Thursday. [...]

A three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals deemed that dragnet collection of American call data does not constitute information relevant to terrorism investigations under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. [...]

The decision comes as Congress is weighing legislation that would reform several aspects of the NSA's surveillance regime, including an effective end to the bulk data program. That legislation, the USA Freedom Act, would instead allow the government to ask telecom companies for phone records on an as-needed basis after obtaining judicial approval for each query. [...]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/federal-appeals-court-rules-nsa-spyi...