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Category Archives: Patriot Act

ALA Announces Intention to File Patriot Act FOIA Request

American Libraries Online, January 13, 2006: “The American Library Association’s Executive Board intends to file a Freedom of Information Act request with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine if the FBI has been collecting information on the Association and its leaders as a result of their opposition to certain provisions of the USA Patriot… Continue Reading

Patriot Act Reauthorization Fight Returns to Spotlight

White House press release today: President Discusses Use and Reauthorization of USA PATRIOT Act AP: Bush Pushes for Patriot Act Renewal From the ALA Washington Office Newsline “Please keep up the pressure on members of Congress by encouraging them to continue to fight for the following: 1. The ability for a Section 215 recipient to… Continue Reading

Five Week Patriot Act Extension Signed By President

Follow-up to my December 22 posting, House Approves 5 Week Extension for Patriot Act, news from AP that Bush Signs Patriot Act Extension at Ranch. From the NJ Madison Eagle: Librarians sounding off on Patriot Act – ‘Chilling Effect’ ‘Ask For Subpoena’ – “As the House, the Senate and the White House wrangled last week… Continue Reading

House Approves 5 Week Extension for Patriot Act

AP: “The House passed a five-week extension of the Patriot Act on Thursday and sent it to the Senate as Congress scrambled to prevent expiration of anti-terror law enforcement provisions on Dec. 31.” From Pelosi Statement on One-Month Extension of Patriot Act: “Mr. Speaker, there is a very crucial debate in this country today about… Continue Reading

Opposing Views on Patriot Act Reauthorization Presented in DOJ and Advocacy Group Statements

DOJ Fact Sheet, December 20, 2005 – Civil Liberties Safeguards in the USA PATRIOT Act Conference Report: “After months of debate—including 23 Congressional hearings with over 60 witnesses—the Senate must act to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act before these key provisions expire. Last week, the House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the bill with strong… Continue Reading

House Judiciary Cmte. Democratic Staff Report Confronts Iraq War Issues

Report prepared by the Minority Staff of the House Judiciary Committee, The Constitution in Crisis; The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Coverups in the Iraq War (273 pages, HTML link to Table of Contents) Press release by Rep. John Conyers, Jr. “…the report examines the Bush Administration’s actions in taking us… Continue Reading

Bush Radio Address Today; Feingold’s Response and Related Commentary

Radio Address by the President to the Nation, December 17, 2005: “This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power, under our laws and Constitution, to protect them and their civil liberties and that… Continue Reading

News of Classified Domestic Surveillance Operation Sparks Outrage

The revelation of previously undisclosed domestic surveillance operations, documented in by the New York Times in the December 15 article which apparently had been withheld from publication for a year, has generated considerable controversy and bipartisan reaction calling for a Congressional probe. Civil Liberties Become a Casualty of War Continue Reading

Patriot Act Reauthorization Blocked By Senate

As noted, this week marked a dramatic shift in Senate support for Patriot Act reauthorization without substantive reforms to the White House backed bill. Today a bipartisan group of Senators blocked the the bill’s approval (the vote was 52-47), noting other recent revelations about secret government surveillance as having an impact on their decision. WSJ… Continue Reading

Senate Vote on Patriot Act Scheduled Tomorrow

AP: Feingold Now Has Numbers on His Side – As the only Senator voting against the Patriot Act in 2001, Feingold’s consistent efforts to reform the bill have resulted in a bipartisan group now comprising over 24 Senators who are demanding reforms before reauthorizing the legislation. Statement by Sen. Russ Feingold: “The Senate is scheduled… Continue Reading