[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Urge Your Senators to Fix the PATRIOT Act

[Alfred Kagan]

>
>
>>From: Matt Howes, National Internet Organizer, ACLU
>>To: ACLU Action Network Members
>>Date: September 23, 2003
>>
>>We are asking that you take two related actions this week: one urging
>>the Senate to fix the PATRIOT Act and another asking Congress as a whole
>>to oppose the expansion of unnecessary surveillance and other police
>>powers that threaten civil liberties. These actions are necessary
>>because of an unusual split in Washington -- many in Congress are
>>working to fix the more dangerous portions of the PATRIOT Act while
>>President Bush, Attorney General Ashcroft and their allies continue to
>>push for new and expanded law enforcement powers.
>>
>>1) Earlier this month, the House voted overwhelmingly during
>>consideration of an appropriations bill to bar the Justice Department
>>from using the "sneak and peek" warrants authorized in the PATRIOT
>>Act. Despite the 309 to 118 vote in the House against the use of these
>>black bag searches, the Senate has yet to act.
>>
>>The Senate is now poised to consider its version of the Justice
>>Department appropriations measure and needs your support to adopt fixes
>>like those adopted by the House.
>>
>>Take Action! Urge your Senators to fix the problems with the PATRIOT
>>Act, not give the government even more invasive and intrusive police
>>powers.
>>
>>Click here for more information and to send a free fax to your
>>Senators:
>>
>>http://www.aclu.org/NationalSecurity/NationalSecurity.cfm?ID=13691&c=24
>>
>>
>>2) Oppose New Surveillance Powers
>>
>>Senator Hatch and other allies of Attorney General Ashcroft are
>>expected shortly to introduce the so-called "Victory Act," a measure
>>that would make some drug offenses a terrorist crime and allow the
>>government new latitude in questioning people and demanding personal
>>documents without court oversight.
>>
>>This new legislation contains many provisions that were part of the
>>leaked PATRIOT Act II and that were rejected from the original PATRIOT
>>Act drafts.  This is clearly part of a larger Ashcroft campaign to
>>promote greater surveillance powers and remove judicial review.
>>
>>Take Action! Your elected representatives in Congress need to hear that
>>you support proper checks and balances, not unlimited government
>>surveillance.
>>
>>Click here for more information and to send a free fax to your Members
>>of Congress:
>>
>>http://www.aclu.org/NationalSecurity/NationalSecurity.cfm?ID=13692&c=24
>>
>>
>>****************************************************************
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>>our website at http://www.aclu.org
>>
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>>
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>>http://www.aclu.org/team/member.cfm
>>
>>To find out what more you can do to protect your civil liberties,
>>please visit http://www.aclu.org/action
>>
>>


-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu