Senator Kyl earlier today:

As a result of significant debate here in this body and in the other body, we each passed different versions of a reauthorization of the Patriot Act, and since then accommodated those differences in what’s called a conference committee. We’re now considering that compromise between the House and Senate versions in a compromise conference committee report.
Mr. President, those of us who helped to write the original Patriot Act and were very anxious to get these authorities in place believe that in some respects we have gone too far. We’ve leaned over too far backward to those who are so afraid that somehow somebody’s freedom might be stepped on in this country that they have not enabled us to fight the terrorists that are the real enemy. They have not given us the tools that we need.
But in order to get the conference committee resolved and get the bill on the floor here, we agreed to sign the report and have this debate. Now we find there are people on the other side who insist on having it all their way, every single thing they want has to occur or else they’re going to filibuster the bill.
Now, what does that mean? It means they’re going to talk it to death, refuse to vote to allow us to have a final vote on it with the result that the Patriot Act is gone on December 31. They say, oh, well, we’ll agree to extend it for a little while. That’s no answer, Mr. President. We have a process. We’ve gone through the process. It’s been very difficult. It’s been long. It’s been hard. We’ve gotten the product that is the result of compromise. That’s the way we work in the Senate and the House and in this country, and that compromise has to be voted on yes or no. If you don’t like it, then vote no, but here’s what I suggest, Mr. President.
We are at war. We have got to be responsible and serious about what we do. And I’ll say it right now: If the filibuster results in this act ceasing to act, there is no more Patriot Act next year and an attack occurs in this country and it could have been prevented by the provisions of the Patriot Act, then everyone who votes to support a filibuster will have to answer for that attack.