Senate Judiciary Committee To Reauthorize Patriot Act, Add Limits

By Meagan Wiseley, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Three provisions of the USA Patriot Act are set to expire Dec. 31, 2009 and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), intends to reauthorize the expiring provisions, but with sunset provisions to ensure the protection of Americans' civil liberties.

According to a statement from Sen. Leahy the USA Patriot Act Sunset Extension Act mandates new audits by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General on the use of National Security Letters, or federal subpoenas used by a variety of law enforcement entities.

Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice, Glenn Fine, said, “our reports ... found the FBI had engaged in serious misuse of NSLs... we found that the FBI had issued many NSLs without proper authorization and had made improper requests under the statutes cited in the NSLs.”

The Office of the Inspector General is still reluctant to conclude that the FBI has fully eliminated all the problems that were found. Fine suggested that while congress is considering reauthorizing provisions of the Patriot Act “it must ensure through continual and aggressive oversight that the FBI uses these important and and intrusive investigative authorities appropriately.”

Leahy believes that comprehensive audits performed by Congress will help hold the FBI accountable for the organization's NSL use.

Texas Congressman Credits Patriot Act For Preventing Terrorism, Saving Lives

By Laura Smith, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Lamar Smith, credited the U.S. Patriot Act Tuesday for shielding America from possible terrorist attacks.

"Thousands of lives would not have been saved had it not been for the Patriot Act," Smith said during a hearing with a House Judiciary Subcommittee.

Smith pointed to the prevention of a terrorist attack in London, in which suspects were planning on detonating a bomb in mid-air using various liquids, as a sign of the controversial Act’s success.

The U.S. Patriot Act allows the government to tap the emails and phone calls in the pursuit of terrorist activity. The Patriot Act was initially passed with mass support in October, 2001.

The hearing was interrupted by an irate demonstrator, who shouted at the committee members before being escorted out, with significant struggle, by security.