[El Gato]

Never underestimate the ability of politicians to forget where they left their spines the moment the media starts manufacturing a "public outcry".

Indeed. Most likely the renewal, maybe even the horrible expansion version, will be offerred as a floor amendment, likely passed by "unanamous consent" at "O dark thirty" some night in the Senate. An amendment to some must pass bill, even a totally unrelated one perhaps. That is more or less how we got the thing in the first place, is it not? It certainly was not passed as a stand alone bill.

[m1911]

I think you're right. End the voice votes. It's no harder to push a button and record the vote than it is to raise your hand. I repeat - end unrecorded votes.