Posted by Jonathan Adler:
Will Congress Renew Patriot Provisions?
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_09_20-2009_09_26.shtml#1253454370
The NYT [1]reports on the looming debate over reauthorizing portions
of the Patriot Act.
Both the House and the Senate are set to hold their first committee
hearings this week on whether to reauthorize three sections of the
Patriot Act that expire at the end of this year. The provisions
expanded the power of the F.B.I. to seize records and to eavesdrop
on phone calls in the course of a counterterrorism investigation.
Laying down a marker ahead of those hearings, a group of senators
who support greater privacy protections filed a bill on Thursday
that would impose new safeguards on the Patriot Act while
tightening restrictions on other surveillance policies. The measure
is co-sponsored by nine Democrats and an independent.
Days before, the Obama administration called on Congress to
reauthorize the three expiring Patriot Act provisions in a letter
from Ronald Weich, assistant attorney general for legislative
affairs. At the same time, he expressed a cautious open mind about
imposing new surveillance restrictions as part of the legislative
package.
�We are aware that members of Congress may propose modifications to
provide additional protection for the privacy of law abiding
Americans,� Mr. Weich wrote, adding that �the administration is
willing to consider such ideas, provided that they do not undermine
the effectiveness of these important authorities.�
Prediction: Congress will enact superficial reforms that do not impose
any significant limitations on existing authorities.
References
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/us/politics/20patriot.html
_______________________________________________
Volokh mailing list
Volokh@lists.powerblogs.com
http://lists.powerblogs.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/volokh
