American Progress

Oppose the Rush to Reauthorize the PATRIOT Act!

A vote is imminent on a House-Senate conference agreement to reauthorize controversial sections of the USA PATRIOT Act that expire at the end of the year. Unfortunately, the agreement fails to provide adequate safeguards against government abuse of our civil liberties.

Urge your Senators to support a short-term extension of the expiring provisions of the PATRIOT Act to give Congress time to remedy these deficiencies, and ask them to vote NO on a cloture motion that would end debate.

November 21, 2009

Subject:

I am writing to urge you to support the Leahy proposal for a short-term extension of the USA PATRIOT Act and to vote NO on a cloture motion that would end debate.

The House-Senate conference agreement to reauthorize the expiring provisions of the PATRIOT Act is seriously flawed.  It fails to tighten standards for government access to private business records under the two most controversial provisions:

• Section 215, the so-called "library provision," authorizes the FBI to obtain a secret court order to compel disclosure of books, records, papers, documents, and other items which the government claims to be “relevant” to a terrorism investigation.

• Section 505 authorizes the FBI to issue National Security Letters permitting secret, warrantless searches of any records the FBI deems relevant to an investigation.

I urge you to oppose cloture and support the Leahy proposal for a three month extension of the PATRIOT Act.  Give Congress time to craft a bill that would enjoy broad bipartisan support and the confidence of the American people.

Thank you

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