Did patriot act begin the nsa spying?

The USA PATRIOT Act, enacted in response to the September 11 attacks in 2001, expanded the government's surveillance capabilities, including those of the NSA. While it did not initiate NSA spying, it provided a legal framework that facilitated increased domestic and international surveillance. The revelations by Edward Snowden in 2013 highlighted the extent of the NSA's surveillance programs, which had been enabled by provisions in the PATRIOT Act and related legislation.