Patriot Act Fact of the Day

April 19, 2005

PATRIOT ACT FACT OF THE DAY:

In passing the Patriot Act, Congress established standards in oversight for the use of the Act's provisions. For example, Section 1001 of the Patriot Act requires the inspector general of the Department of Justice to determine and report to Congress civil liberties violations.

Florida U.S. Attorney Defends PATRIOT Act

In a letter to the Florida Times Union, U.S. Attorney Paul Perez explains the success of the PATRIOT Act in protecting Americans from terrorism:

""The Patriot Act did two things to correct major weaknesses in our nation's pre-Sept. 11, 2001, defenses. First, it lowered the bureaucratic and legal wall that had prevented law enforcement and the intelligence community from sharing information with each other about terrorist operatives and plans. "

Second, the Patriot Act updated our legal tools, allowing our nation's justice community to use court-approved legal authorities for terrorist investigations that had long been used in investigations of drug smugglers and organized crime.

Three years after the passage of the Patriot Act, we can point to a nation that is safer and more secure. Sadly, in this important public debate about freedom and national security, critics have come forward to attack the Patriot Act unfairly, claiming the law endangers our individual rights and our civil liberties.""

USA PATRIOT Act News Archive

April 18, 2005

PATRIOT ACT FACT OF THE DAY:

The Patriot Act allows investigators to use the tools that were already available to investigate organized crime and drug trafficking. As Sen. Joe Biden (DE) explained during the floor debate about the Act, "the FBI could get a wiretap to investigate the mafia, but they could not get one to investigate terrorists. To put it bluntly, that was crazy! What's good for the mob should be good for terrorists." (Cong. Rec., 10/25/01)

Former Gov. Racicot corrects misconceptions about PATRIOT Act

In an op-ed in the Billings Gazette, Gov. Racicot shows how the PATRIOT Act took down the "wall" and updated terrorist investigators' tools:

"The Patriot Act broke down the 'wall' that separated law enforcement and intelligence investigations. The 9/11 Commission cited that wall as a central failing in our national security preparedness because it did not allow intelligence officers and criminal investigators to coordinate their information. The Patriot Act updated the tools available to law enforcement with new technology. Also, the Patriot Act took many of the tools available in organized crime and drug trafficking cases and