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Resources about sunsetting PATRIOT Act provisions (2009)

Posted on Thursday December 3, 2009

The Hill is too quiet about the PATRIOT Act, and if we’re not talking to them about it, who are they listening to?

The next few weeks are critical This is the time to tell our leaders: there is a better way to keep our country safe and secure without compromising our rights, freedoms and privacy.

Become an expert on the PATRIOT Act today, so you’ll have the facts you need when you talk to your Representatives.

These three provisions of the PATRIOT Act are slated to sunset at the end of 2009:

  • Roving Wiretap: The PATRIOT Act expands surveillance laws to grant government agencies the authority to request a wiretap on any individual or means of communication associated with an ongoing investigation without additional approval. H.R. 3845 requires the government, when requesting a roving wiretap, to demonstrate to a judge that the subject is a single individual, and requires the authorities to obtain a separate, court ordered wiretap for each additional subject involved in the investigation.
  • Section 215 (Library Provision): The PATRIOT Act allows authorities to access “any tangible thing (including books, records, papers, documents and other items),” as long as the records are sought “in connection with a terror investigation.” H.R. 3845 requires the government to produce more evidence to a court than currently needed, and to get a court order approved before the government agency can obtain records from businesses.
  • National Security Letters: The PATRIOT Act grants the F.B.I. the authority to issue national security letters independently and without judicial review to gather records like phone bills or e-mail transactions that might be considered relevant to a particular terrorism investigation. With H.R. 3845, the relevant agencies will no longer be able to use national security letters to obtain information merely by claiming it is “relevant” to national security without reasonable suspicion that the information is connected to a terrorist or foreign agent.

Use the information on this page to become an expert on the issues, then call your Representatives and talk to them!

Resolutions and amendments in the House and Senate

Congressional Letters and comments on the PATRIOT Act

Related articles on the PATRIOT Act

Politico 10/8/09

The Washington Post 11/12/2009

Metro Detroit 11/20/2009

The Public Record 11/30/09

See what our partner organizations and groups are saying and doing about the PATRIOT Act