US federal court approves NSA spying

The Obama administration has received approval from a federal court to continue the National Security Agencys collection of telephone metadata for another three months.

US officials said on Friday that the government's application to renew the existing program was approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to restrict the spy agencys electronic surveillance powers.

If passed by the Senate, the bill will bar the agency from using personal electronic information from citizens without a prior court order.

According to a statement from the Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the government will continue the current NSA program.

"Given that legislation has not yet been enacted, and given the importance of maintaining the capabilities of the Section 215 telephony metadata program, the government has sought a 90-day reauthorization of the existing program, as modified by the changes the president announced earlier this year," it said.

The government's application to renew the program expires Sept. 12.

The NSA has been eavesdropping on millions of American and European phone records and internet data.

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US federal court approves NSA spying