Washington, D.C ? The Senate voted 95-1 Thursday night to extend the Patriot Act unchanged through March 10 to give negotiators more time to reach a deal. Sen. Russell Feingold, a Wisconsin Democrat and a longtime opponent of the Patriot Act, cast the sole vote against the extension.

The House passed it Wednesday.

This is the second time Congress has extended the Patriot Act. Originally passed five weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the law was set to expire Dec. 31, 2005.

But just before leaving for Christmas, Congress extended the measure until today, after Senate Democrats and four libertarian-leaning Republicans blocked a final vote on a measure negotiated by the White House. That version would have made most of the expiring provisions in the Patriot Act permanent.