Congress Considers PATRIOT ACT Expansion


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Congress Considers PATRIOT Expansion Behind Closed Doors

Source: EFF Newsletter

Today the Senate Intelligence Committee is considering, behind closed doors, a bill that would not only renew the USA PATRIOT Act's most dangerous provisions, but would also expand the FBI's power to secretly demand the private records of people who aren't suspected of any crime - *without* a judge's approval.

The FBI already has dangerously overbroad subpoena powers under PATRIOT. But if this bill passes without modification, the FBI could use new "administrative subpoenas" to get practically anything from anyone - Internet logs and emails from your Internet service provider, health records from your doctor, financial information from your bank, borrowing records from your library - without a judge's permission. The Justice Department has long sought this kind of unprecedented subpoena power for the FBI, but Congress has always said no - even in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Earlier this week, we sent out a special action alert asking EFF supporters in the states that have senators on the Intelligence Committee to speak out against the bill. The response was swift. Within 24 hours, you sent more than 1,600 faxes and emails to the committee. Seven of the senators received 90 or more messages; Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) received more than 680 messages. Now the figure is up to 2,050 - roughly half the number of letters typically sent over a full week's time for alerts that are not restricted to specific states.

We succeeded in attracting the senators' attention, but the battle against PATRIOT expansion has just begun. Early reports indicate that there is strong support for the bill within the Intelligence Committee, despite the public outcry. If you live in Kansas, Utah, Ohio, Missouri, Maine, Nebraska, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Michigan, California, Oregon, Indiana, Maryland, or New Jersey, and you haven't contacted your senator, it's not too late. Take action today, and stay tuned to EFFector and the EFF Action Center for the next steps - your voice counts!

Say No to New PATRIOT Spying Powers: Click Here!!!

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Ah the new America, Where the constitution means nothing, theres big/more government, congressmen are over paid/corrupt and Anyone who comments any crime is considered a 'domestic terrorist'. Go America! :crazy: :cry: :(

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