What a way to mark the 15th anniversary of the WTC bombing yesterday, huh? Via CQ Politics:

House Republicans tried again Tuesday to force a floor vote on Senate-passed legislation to overhaul the nation’s electronic surveillance law.

But Democrats stood fast, insisting that negotiations continue between the House and Senate on a compromise version of the legislation.

By 212-198, the House quashed the Republican effort on a procedural vote.

House and Senate Democrats are negotiating over the legislation, but Republicans and the Bush administration are boycotting those talks. Republicans say the House should simply clear the Senate version of the measure instead. The Senate passed that bill Feb. 12 by 68-29.

“Congress needs to act immediately,” said Rep. Pete Sessions , R-Texas. He said House Republicans will try every day to bring up the Senate-passed version, which also has the backing of 21 Blue Dog Democrats.