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| Home Front: Politix |
| Senate bill would cut powers of Patriot Act |
| 2005-04-06 |
| From the: 'Here let me pull those pants down to your ankles for you' department..... WASHINGTON - Wiretapping, search warrants, records seizures and other law enforcement tactics allowed by the Patriot Act would be scaled back under a bipartisan bill set to be introduced today in the Senate. The bill, known as the Security and Freedom Enhancement Act, or SAFE Act, is sponsored by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Larry Craig, R-Idaho, Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo. They announced their proposal Tuesday after Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told senators that he would accept some modifications to the USA Patriot Act but urged that all its major provisions be renewed to effectively fight terrorism. The SAFE Act would forbid roving wiretaps on unidentified subjects and permit secret searches only as long as they are used to investigate a set list of crimes. Current law includes what critics call a "catch-all phrase" that could be interpreted to include other crimes as well. The bill also would change a section of the Patriot Act permitting secret warrants for "books, records, papers, documents and other items" from businesses, hospitals and other organizations. That section is known as the "library provision" by its critics. While it does not specifically mention bookstores or libraries, critics say the government could use it to subpoena library and bookstore records and snoop into the reading habits of innocent Americans. Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Gonzales defended the provision. He said it had been used 35 times but never to obtain library, bookstore, medical or gun sale records, and that the provision's scope is narrow. "The library habits of ordinary Americans are of no interest to those conducting terrorism investigations, nor are they permitted to be," Gonzales said. Durbin said he is optimistic that Gonzales - attorney general since early February - will be more open to changes than his predecessor, John Ashcroft. Gonzales told the panel he would be "open to any ideas" on changing the Patriot Act but urged Congress to renew 15 provisions set to expire in December, calling the measures "essential weapons in our arsenal to combat the terrorists." "Now is not the time for us to be engaging in unilateral disarmament," he said. I think Ted Kennedy disagrees.... His willingness to listen is a big step forward, Durbin said. "I think we ought to reach out in good faith to the attorney general and the Department of Justice, and see if we can come to some agreements on some changes," Durbin said. "It would be terrific if we could." |
| Posted by:CrazyFool |
| #2 As a gun owner I would have to say that changes are definately desirable. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2005-04-06 3:50:33 PM |
| #1 His willingness to listen is a big step forward, Durbin said. Nuttin' wrong with listening. Whether changes are warranted or desirable is something else. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-04-06 10:50:23 AM |