Quote:
Senate Rejects Extension of Patriot Act
By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 20 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - The Senate on Friday refused to reauthorize major portions of the USA Patriot Act after critics complained they infringed too much on Americans' privacy and liberty, dealing a huge defeat to the Bush administration and Republican leaders.
In a crucial vote early Friday, the bill's Senate supporters were not able to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster by Sens. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and Larry Craig, R-Idaho, and their allies. The final vote was 52-47.
President Bush, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Republicans congressional leaders had lobbied fiercely to make most of the expiring Patriot Act provisions permanent.
They also supported new safeguards and expiration dates to the act's two most controversial parts: authorization for roving wiretaps, which allow investigators to monitor multiple devices to keep a target from evading detection by switching phones or computers; and secret warrants for books, records and other items from businesses, hospitals and organizations such as libraries.
Feingold, Craig and other critics said those efforts weren't enough, and have called for the law to be extended in its present form so they can continue to try and add more civil liberties safeguards. But Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert have said they won't accept a short-term extension of the law.
If a compromise is not reached, the 16 Patriot Act provisions expire on Dec. 31, but the expirations have enormous exceptions. Investigators will still be able to use those powers to complete any investigation that began before the expiration date and to initiate new investigations of any alleged crime that began before Dec. 31, according to a provision in the original law. There are ongoing investigations of every known terrorist group, including al-Qaida, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Islamic Jihad and the Zarqawi group in Iraq, and all the Patriot Act tools could continue to be used in those investigations.
Five Republicans voted against the reauthorization: Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Craig and Frist. Two Democrats voted to extend the provisions: Sens. Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Ben Nelson of Nebraska.
Frist, R-Tenn., changed his vote at the last moment after seeing the critics would win. He decided to vote with the prevailing side so he could call for a new vote at any time. He immediately objected to an offer of a short term extension from Democrats, saying the House won't approve it and the president won't sign it.
"We have more to fear from terrorism than we do from this Patriot Act," Frist warned.
If the Patriot Act provisions expire, Republicans say they will place the blame on Democrats in next year's midterm elections. "In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without these vital tools for a single moment," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. "The time for Democrats to stop standing in the way has come."
But the Patriot Act's critics got a boost from a New York Times report saying Bush authorized the National Security Agency to monitor the international phone calls and international e-mails of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of people inside the United States. Previously, the NSA typically limited its domestic surveillance to foreign embassies and missions and obtained court orders for such investigations.
"I don't want to hear again from the attorney general or anyone on this floor that this government has shown it can be trusted to use the power we give it with restraint and care," said Feingold, the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001.
"It is time to have some checks and balances in this country," shouted Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. "We are more American for doing that."
Most of the Patriot Act — which expanded the government's surveillance and prosecutorial powers against suspected terrorists, their associates and financiers — was made permanent when Congress overwhelmingly passed it after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington. Making the rest of it permanent was a priority for both the Bush administration and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill before Congress adjourns for the year.
The House on Wednesday passed a House-Senate compromise bill to renew the expiring portions of the Patriot Act that supporters say added significant safeguards to the law. Its Senate supporters say that compromise is the only thing that has a chance to pass Congress before 2006.
"This is a defining moment. There are no more compromises to be made, no more extensions of time. The bill is what it is," said Sen. Jon Kyl (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz.
The bill's opponents say the original act was rushed into law, and Congress should take more time now to make sure the rights of innocent Americans are safeguarded before making the expiring provisions permanent.
"Those that would give up essential liberties in pursuit in a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security," said Sen. John Sununu (news, bio, voting record), R-N.H. They suggested a short extension so negotiations could continue, but the Senate scrapped a Democratic-led effort to renew the USA Patriot Act for just three months before the vote began.
"Today, fair-minded senators stood firm in their commitment to the Constitution and rejected the White House's call to pass a faulty law," said Caroline Fredrickson, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington legislative office. "This was a victory for the privacy and liberty of all Americans."
Good, some of that @!#$ they wanted enacted was just a @!#$ invasion of privacy.
Sneak and peek warrants, search of library records and other records without subpoena, loose wiretap regulations. Seems that when both parties clued in that these new restrictions didn't make Americans any more secure, they put 2 and 2 together.
Good show.
Now might be a good time to institute minimum review periods for electronic surveillance laws... and search and seizure laws.
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.
Key quote right here, folks:
"I don't want to hear again from the attorney general or anyone on this floor that this government has shown it can be trusted to use the power we give it with restraint and care," said Feingold, the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001."
Best news this year.
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"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Benjamin Franklin
What?!?!?!? The govt. should be allowed to do whatever it tkes to keep us safe. And if that includes doing body cavities searches of everyone they deem any kind of any threat at all then I say go ahead and stick your finger up someones butt to make sure they aren't hideing a rocket launcher.
SARCASM to the tenth power ! I don't mind some stuff but DAMN ! I think they went
nuts I'm glad someone in the govt. actualy realized it.
Semper Fi SAINT. May you rest in peace.
Hooray! That partially unconstitutional POS is gonna be dead!!!
AGuSTiN wrote:Key quote right here, folks:
"I don't want to hear again from the attorney general or anyone on this floor that this government has shown it can be trusted to use the power we give it with restraint and care," said Feingold, the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001."
Best news this year.
Kardain wrote: Hooray! That partially unconstitutional POS is gonna be dead!!!
Agree and agree!!!! So who wants to throw the part-ay?
Jackalope wrote:What?!?!?!? The govt. should be allowed to do whatever it tkes to keep us safe. And if that includes doing body cavities searches of everyone they deem any kind of any threat at all then I say go ahead and stick your finger up someones butt to make sure they aren't hideing a rocket launcher.
SARCASM to the tenth power ! I don't mind some stuff but DAMN ! I think they went
nuts I'm glad someone in the govt. actualy realized it.
*slowly places the gun back in the trunk*
you had me there for a moment. I was like Jackalope is an opinionated @!#$ at times but hes not a complete smacktard
WOOT, NOW I CAN CHECK ALL THE COMMUNITS MANIFESTOS OUT OF THE LIBRARY I WANT......
-Chris
[quote=¤§Fallen Angel§¤]
AGuSTiN wrote:Key quote right here, folks:
"I don't want to hear again from the attorney general or anyone on this floor that this government has shown it can be trusted to use the power we give it with restraint and care," said Feingold, the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001."
Best news this year.
Russ Fiengold is awesome
96 cavi(RIP),99 olds alero' WI_J's
WI j-tuner
http://www.geocities.com/WIJTuners/
I think its about time for a terrorist attack or at least a terror threat level alert to rise. Any takers on this bet?
Looks like the Senate reversed their rejection....
Clicky
Quote:
Senate Passes Patriot Act Extension
By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 4 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - The terror-fighting USA Patriot Act may have a new lease on life. The GOP-controlled Senate on Wednesday approved a six-month extension of the USA Patriot Act to keep the anti-terror law from expiring on Dec. 31. President Bush gave it his grudging blessing.
The Republican-controlled House is now expected to come back and consider the legislation keeping the 16 provisions of the law passed after the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington from expiring.
Republican leaders and Bush wanted to make most of the law permanent, but were stymied by a filibuster in the Senate and had to resort to a six-month extension.
"This will allow more time to finally agree on a bill that protects our rights and freedoms while preserving important tools for fighting terrorism," said Sen. Russ Feingold (news, bio, voting record), D-Wis., who was the only senator to vote against the original Patriot Act in 2001.
House and Senate negotiators had agreed to compromise legislation that would have made most of the anti-terrorism law permanent and added additional safeguards to the law. But Senate Democrats and a small group of GOP senators blocked the legislation, arguing that the compromise needed more safeguards in it to protect Americans' civil liberties.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he had no choice but to accept a six-month extension in the face of a successful filibuster and the Patriot Act's Dec. 31 expiration date. "I'm not going to let the Patriot Act die," Frist said.
Bush indicated that he would sign the extension. "The work of Congress on the Patriot Act is not finished," Bush said. "The act will expire next summer, but the terrorist threat to America will not expire on that schedule. I look forward to continuing to work with Congress to reauthorize the Patriot Act."
Frist said he had not consulted with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., yet on the six-month extension. Senior Republicans there have opposed any temporary extension of the current law, insisting that most of the expiring provisions should be renewed permanently, but it would be difficult for the House to reject a plan agreed to by the Senate and President Bush.
The six-month "extension ensures that the tools provided to law enforcement in terrorist investigations in the Patriot Act remain in effect while Congress works out the few differences that remain," said Sen. John Sununu (news, bio, voting record), R-N.H., one of a small group of Republicans who crossed party lines to block the Patriot Act legislation.
Republicans who had pushed for legislation that would make most of the expiring provisions permanent said the agreement only postpones the ongoing arguments over the Patriot Act for six months. "We'll be right back where we are right now," said a clearly frustrated Sen. Orrin Hatch (news, bio, voting record), R-Utah.
Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, added, "Our intelligence and law enforcement officials should not be left wondering, yet again, whether the Congress will manage to agree to reauthorize the tools that protect our nation."
Most of the Patriot Act — which expanded the government's surveillance and prosecutorial powers against suspected terrorists, their associates and financiers — was made permanent when Congress overwhelmingly passed it after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington.
Making permanent the rest of the Patriot Act powers, like the roving wiretaps which allow investigators to listen in on any telephone and tap any computer they think a target might use, has been a priority of the Bush administration and Republican lawmakers.
If Congress fails to renew 16 expiring provisions of the USA Patriot Act by Dec. 31, America will be less safe, Gonzales and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff warned. Chertoff said every morning he reviews threat information against the United States and lies awake at night worrying about "what's coming next."
"The threat is still very much alive," Chertoff said, referring to terror groups that want to strike the United States.
I wonder if there is a provision to limit the extensions, or can you filibuster the move to extend the act?
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.
I know they approved a16 laws now for 6 months anyone know what 16 they are?
I know that there are several provisions that are contentious:
- Weakened wire/information tap laws, Roving Wiretaps (or "just because" proof for wiretaps)
- Sneak and peak (delayed notification search and seizure)
- Detention laws altered for purposes of national security
There are a few others that I can't rhyme off the top of my head, but, the original text of the PA was significantly different, and the one that was passed into law was altered in a midnight cram session, and only quietly were changes announced.
http://www.cdt.org/security/011031summary.shtml It's a fast rundown.
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.
You're most welcome.
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.
