"NSA has requested limited access to historical Section 215 metadata until February 29, 2016, limited to technical personnel," the release stated on Friday.
The agency would use this limited access, according to the release, to verify that the new program authorized by the USA Freedom Act is working properly.
Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, which allowed the NSA to intercept, collect and store Americans’ phone records, expired on June 1.
The provisions have since been replaced by the USA Freedom Act, which limits, but does not entirely bar, US intelligence agencies from bulk data collection. The authorities approved a 180-day transition period.
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