Don't Let Congress Expand the Patriot Act in Secret

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Original sender's name: Never Surrender

Original sender's address: NeverSurrender

 

Don't Let Congress Expand the Patriot Act in Secret

https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?s_oo=tLYgUOWJMsHUWWVh1Ry18A.. & amp;id=203

 

The Patriot Act passed a mere 45 days after the September 11 attacks with

virtually no debate or discussion. Fortunately many of the sections that

expanded government power were set to expire at the end of this year. Now, some

in Congress are secretly considering legislation that would make these powers

permanent and expand them.

 

Hundreds of communities -- and seven states -- have signaled their rejection of

the excessive powers in the Patriot Act by passing resolutions. But Congress is

ignoring these and other public statements of concern against the Patriot Act

and holding key hearings in secret.

 

Take action and let Congress know that you want secret Patriot Act hearings to

be made open and public.

 

People across the country have made clear their opposition to the Patriot Act.

Hundreds of communities have passed resolutions against the Patriot Act and held

town hall meetings to discuss the extraordinary secret search powers and their

impact on their residents' rights under our Constitution. Congress should not be

tone-deaf to these concerns.

 

The Patriot Act's powers are too significant to be debated in secret. For

instance, Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows the FBI to seize a vast array of

sensitive personal information and belongings -- including medical, library and

business records using secret intelligence tools that do not require individual

criminal activity. Although the records can only be seized pursuant to a order

issued by a secret court, the judges are compelled to issue these orders if a

government agent certifies that he needs them, making such judicial review

nothing more than a rubber stamp.

 

Open and transparent government is critical to a successful democracy. When

government conducts important discussions and votes in secret, we all lose out.

Congress should not make the Patriot Act permanent and should not expand it, and

it certainly should not be making these decisions in secret.

 

Click here to contact your Members of Congress about this issue.

 

https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage & page=UserAction & id=203

 

 

 

Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are

putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.--Mark Twain

 

The test of our progress, is not whether we add more to the abundance of those

who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.

--Franklin Delano Roosevelt