Under current law, the prohibition is set to expire Thursday. Lawmakers voted 402-0 to add seven years to the moratorium -- more than double the three-year periods approved in 1998, 2001 and 2004 -- and to clarify the services covered under the statute.

The action came five days after the Senate voted to expand the four-year moratorium that the House had passed earlier this month. "It's high time that Congress passes this important legislation and gets it to the president's desk for his signature," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas.

Read this afternoon's edition of Technology Daily for more details on today's debate.