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Several provisions -- some of which are set to expire unless Congress votes to renew them -- dramatically weaken key checks and balances on government power, which prevent the abuse of our rights. Despite bipartisan support for fixing these provisions and more than 400 community resolutions calling for appropriate changes to the Patriot Act, some in Congress now want to renew all of the expiring provisions of the Patriot Act without any meaningful reforms.We cannot let this happen. Click here to urge your members of Congress to reform the Patriot Act.
The Patriot Act:
Expands the government's power to search your home in secret and to delay telling you for months or indefinitely. Section 213 made it easier for government agents to get courts to issue "sneak and peek" search warrants, which let them break into your home, rifle through your belongings, swab for DNA, copy files from your computer, seize property and keep you in the dark about the search for an indefinite amount of time. This provision is permanent, but would be reformed under the SAFE Act. At a minimum, it should be limited to a set amount of time and only allowed in true emergencies. The Justice Department recently admitted that 90% of these sneak and peeks have been used in cases that have nothing to do with terrorism.
Facilitates access to secret court orders that allow agents to seize personal records. Section 215 lets the FBI apply for secret court orders to compel libraries, bookstores, hotels, hospitals and other institutions to turn over personal records without showing any facts connecting your records to a foreign terrorist, let alone probable cause that you did anything wrong. The judge is required to issue such an order if federal agents certify that they want these records for a foreign intelligence or terrorism investigation. The business that receives the order is forever gagged from telling anyone about it. This provision is set to expire. It should not be made permanent. It should be fixed to require a showing of specific facts connecting your records to a foreign terrorist and there should be a meaningful right to challenge, as supported by the SAFE Act.
Lets the FBI access business, credit, Internet and banking records without going through a judge at all. Section 505 broadens the government's ability to issue "national security letters," which allow the FBI to demand records about you from financial institutions, Internet service providers, telephone companies, credit agencies, insurance companies, car dealerships, and libraries that provide Internet services to patrons—all without going through a judge or demonstrating any facts connecting your records to a foreign agent or foreign terrorist. If not repealed, this provision should be amended to incorporate the modest SAFE Act fix and should include an expiration date.
Click here to contact your members of Congress and urge them to oppose expansion of the Patriot Act.
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