Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) have introduced legislation that would effectively gut the USA PATRIOT Act. This week, against the backdrop of multiple domestic terrorism-related investigations and arrests, Leahy and Feingold tried to use hearings on extending the PATRIOT Act to advance legislation that would substantially weaken it. The reauthorization hearings focused on three controversial provisions of the PATRIOT Act set to expire on December 31, 2009. If legislators fail to act, the laws will expire automatically.
No Sheeples Here
In the days following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress put time limits on three of the most far-reaching provisions of the Patriot Act: roving wiretaps which allow investigators to keep up with suspects who use dozens of cell phones to avoid being traced, business records authority which lets investigators ask a special national security court for access to records of a suspect's dealings with private businesses and the "lone wolf" provision which allows investigators to track individual terror suspects even if they are not a member of a terrorist group, like al Qaeda.
Congress renewed those provisions in 2005 and now must give them another four-year renewal in December of this year or they will disappear. Some Democratic lawmakers have long wanted to weaken the act, and now, with big majorities in the House and Senate, they have their chance.
Najibullah Zazi, who was caught with bomb-making materials and a list of specific targets in New York City, highlights the very threats the act was designed to tackle. Republicans are fighting to keep the law in its current form.
Congress should be considering what can be done to make it stronger.
Say what you will about President Bush during his last couple of years in office. But, I take my hat off to him for how he handled the aftermath of 9/11. In fact, it was how he stood up, that cemented my support of him.
There have been a number of attempts to attack us since 9/11. None of them have succeeded. They were stopped in great part because of the patriot act.
The enemy is waiting for us to weaken, to let down our guard. The fact that congress is even contemplating weakening the Patriot Act, show's that this is a very real possibility.
The following video is a reminder why we need to fight against it.
Never forget.
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