House, Senate Reach Deal on Patriot Act By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement Thursday to extend the USA Patriot Act, the government's premier anti-terrorism law, before it expires at the end of the month. But a Democratic senator threatened a filibuster to block the compromise. "I will do everything I can, including a filibuster, to stop this Patriot Act conference report, which does not include adequate safeguards to protect our constitutional freedoms," said Sen. Russ Feingold (news, bio, voting record), D-Wis., who was the only senator to vote against the original version of the Patriot Act. Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., announced Thursday that a House-Senate negotiating committee had reached an agreement that would extend for four years two of the Patriot Act's most controversial provisions — authorizing roving wiretaps and permitting secret warrants for books, records and other items from businesses, hospitals and organizations such as libraries. Those provisions would expire in four years unless Congress acts on them again. "All factors considered it's reasonably good, not perfect, but it's acceptable," Specter said of the agreement. Also to be extended for four years are standards for monitoring "lone wolf" terrorists who may be operating independent of a foreign agent or power. While not part of the Patriot Act, officials considered that along with the Patriot Act provisions. The Republican-controlled House had been pushing for those provisions to stay in effect as long as a decade, but negotiators decided to go with the GOP-controlled Senate's suggestion. Most of the Patriot Act would become permanent under the reauthorization. Feingold is not alone in his dislike of the compromise. "We believe this conference report will not be able to get through the Senate," said a group of six senators, including Feingold, who have been working against the emerging deal. They said they will not support it in any form. The other senators are Republicans Larry Craig of Idaho, John Sununu of New Hampshire and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois and Ken Salazar of Colorado. It takes 60 senators to overcome a filibuster in the 100-member Senate. "I don't think there will be a filibuster," Specter said. "I don't think it will succeed if there is one." Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, said the deal should satisfy everyone. "This agreement both preserves the provisions that have made America safer since 9/11 and increases congressional and judicial oversight, which should alleviate the concerns of those who believe the law enforcement tools endanger civil liberties," he said. But the American Civil Liberties union" immediately denounced the deal, calling on lawmakers to reject the legislation because it intrudes too far into the privacy of innocent Americans. "This sham compromise agreement fails to address the primary substantive concern raised by millions of Americans, as well as civil liberties, privacy and business organizations and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and in both chambers," said Caroline Fredrickson, the ACLU's Washington legislative office director. The ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, has not yet decided whether to support the agreement, a spokesman said. But the GOP-majority negotiating committee has enough votes to send the House and Senate the compromise if all of the Republican negotiators agree to it. The Senate is expected to vote on the compromise next week, Specter said. That would give them enough time to deal with any filibuster threats before the Patriot Act provisions expire on Dec. 31. Congress overwhelmingly passed the Patriot Act after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The law expanded the government's surveillance and prosecutorial powers against suspected terrorists, their associates and financiers. The compromise also makes changes to national security letters, an investigative tool used by the FBI to compel businesses to turn over customer information without a court order or grand jury subpoena. Under the agreement, the reauthorization specifies that an NSL can be reviewed by a court, and explicitly allows those who receive the letters to inform their lawyers about them. The Bush administration contends that such consultation already is allowed, citing at least two court challenges to NSLs. However, in a letter obtained by the ACLU under the Freedom of Information Act and posted on its Web site, the FBI prohibits the recipient "from disclosing to any person that the FBI has sought or obtained access to information or records under these provisions."
I still don't know why it is called the "patriot act". "The Governments insatiable appetite for power and control act "would be more accurate. Gift wrapping a pile of sh*t won't change how it smells.
SHould read, "House and Senate reach a deal by taking a page from the KGB" Wire taps, Secret night Grabs, Unchecked Spying and Torture.... The above used to be closed up in small tinfoil hat forums... now I see it on CNN. Hell, Lou Dobbs was questioning the term "moral high road" tonight in an interview. He mentioned that The US has taken the moral HR for 200 yrs... The Guest never caught the missing 30... What a bunch of Crap. So sad to see the erosion of freedoms become a torrent whenever we get scared as a nation just sad. I bet our great grandfathers are rolling over right now. BTW, I heard another snippet today somewhere: People who came to the US from Eastern Europe and Former Soviet States are leaving and going back to their former/still Communist run areas. Welcome to AmeriKa Rant OFF/ Sorry, I just love this Country so much and hate to see what it is becoming. We're being sold out by our elected officials at a rate that can't be supported
...and the sad part is we have given them so much power for so long that now it would be near impossible to get an honest man to run and if he did we would never hear about him since the media would never let it get out so we couldnt elect them if we wanted to.
Since we appear to have succeeded in keeping the Patriot Act provisions from being renewed, we now have a new enemy to face... Another terror attack. This is a reality, like it or not. Now, we who are educated know that "terror" is nothing more than a staged and managed event, allowing government to increase control in exchange for civil liberties. All the globalists have to do now is create another terror attack and millions of people will cry "It's YOUR fault for not keeping the Patriot Act in effect and protecting us!", and the globalists will have all the arsenal they need to perpetrate yet another Patriot Act legislation. But I hope that I am wrong. I know that I am not, however. -link- These people are throwing it in your faces. They are fearless, out of control, and MUST be stopped. No, I bet it it's not an accident.
Patriot Act / Terror Attack Have you all noticed, with the approval rating for the Iraq war diminishing and the Iran Bourse/War being threatened for March.....Along comes Bin Ladin, who always seems to arrive just as the Bush regime needs him to bolster their rating. A terrorist attack now would get all the approval ratings they need to strenghten the Patriot Act and attack Iran. I think we are going to see something by March....could be wrong....sure hope so. Chemical Gal
