Despite the recent military operation that killed Osama bin Laden, taking out the leader of al Qaeda and the man at the heart of America’s “war on terror,” Congress and the Obama administration appear ready to agree on a four-year extension of most provisions of the controversial Patriot Act.
Bipartisan cooperation is rare in Washington these days, but Republican House Speaker John Boehner, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the White House are said to be close to a deal that would prevent the expiration of the Patriot Act later this month, keep the extraordinary measures approved under the law alive for four more years, and expand upon the powers granted the government via the hallmark piece of legislation crafted to combat the threat of “terror” in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
A vote on a Patriot Act bill could come as early as this week, which would fit into the plan by the administration and leaders in Congress to fast-track the legislation so as to ensure “as little debate as possible.”
There are skeptics in Congress, including Democratic Sen, Patrick Leahy and many of the “Tea Party” Republicans elected to the House last November on a platform of “smaller” government. Despite the opposition, any legislation extending the Patriot Act is expected to sail easily through Congress.
Once through Congress, President Obama has promised to sign the extension, with his Attorney General declaring that the nation has a “need” for the provisions legalized in the law “now more than ever.”
Top congressional leaders agreed Thursday to a four-year extension of the anti-terrorist Patriot Act, the controversial law passed after the Sept. 11 attacks that governs the search for terrorists on American soil.
The deal between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner calls for a vote before May 27, when parts of the current act expire. The idea is to pass the extension with as little debate as possible to avoid a protracted and familiar argument over the expanded power the law gives to the government.
Support for the extension was unclear. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., wanted tighter restrictions on the government’s power and may seek to amend it. In the House, members of the freshman class elected on promises of making government smaller were skeptical.
“I still have some concerns, and at this point I’m leaning against (voting for) it,” said one, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.
The legislation would extend three expiring provisions until June 1, 2015, officials said.
The provisions at issue allow the government to use roving wiretaps on multiple electronic devices and across multiple carriers and get court-approved access to business records relevant to terrorist investigations. The third, a “lone wolf” provision that was part of a 2004 law, permits secret intelligence surveillance of non-U.S. individuals without having to show a connection between the target and a specific terrorist group.
Salon has an extensive look at what Patriot Act provisions are to be extended and the impact they will have on civil liberties and the rights of American citizens.
At least Senate Democrats are consistent. They’ve rolled over and played dead on the Florida recount, the Bush tax cuts, the Patriot Act, the Iraq War resolution, the Patriot Act renewals and telecom immunity, the the Military Commissions Act, not pursuing Bush administration war crimes, etc., etc.
Authoritarian governments like ours care little for liberty or freedom! This will pass and we will be told that we are more secure for it yet they can’t explain just how modern writs of assistance make us more secure when all they do is trample our rights! We went to war with a King who did the same thing because it was oppressive, now we let our authoritarian government do the same thing!
Interesting that our two party rulers are so opposed on most issues that they couldn’t trust each other enough to trade nickels.But when it comes to making sure that the rights of Americans continue to be infringed upon,on that they can suddenly find consensus.