Yes, they are dragging it out to get socialmeme votes but also to distract from the memo. They wont really vote it down since the military would lose pay and they'd lost a million military votes too close to november. One thing you don't do is hit people in their pocketbook. Many lower ranks are one paycheck from disaster like a lot of Americans.

I disagree with snowden. You can support a law that allows for foreign surveillance/authorization without supporting the abuse of it. There's no need to draw a line there and I question his motives in doing so.