The US House of Representatives has upheld a presidential veto of a bill that would have prevented the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods.
The techniques include water-boarding, which opponents say amounts to torture.
The 225-188 vote in the Democratic-led House fell short of the two-thirds majority required to overturn the veto.
President George W Bush said the legislation would have taken away one of the most valuable tools in the "war on terror."
The vetoed legislation would have limited the CIA to using the 19 interrogation methods approved in the Army field manual.
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White House press secretary Dana Perino hailed the House vote, saying a successful overturn of the veto "would have diminished the intelligence community's ability to protect our nation".
Earlier, Mr Bush said the CIA needed "specialised interrogation procedures", although he did not mention water-boarding specifically.
The CIA has admitted to using water-boarding on three people, including high-profile al-Qaeda detainee Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
However, it says it stopped using the technique in 2003.
(BBC)
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