POLITICS: Upcoming Congressional Battle Over Patriot Act, page 1

In what promises to be a heated debate over key issues in the Patriot Act that have many Americans very concerned about their liberties, the 109th Congress will convene on Jan. 3 to decide which issues will be ammended. The Patriot Act, signed into law in October of 2001 following the 9/11 attacks, has been the subject of many bitter disputes between concerned Americans. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is currently hearing an appeal from the Justice Department after Federal District Judge Audrey Collins ruled last January that one section of the law is unconstitutional.

www.msnbc.msn.com
WASHINGTON - The 109th Congress which convenes on Jan. 3 will join one of the most contentious legislative battles to result from the war on terrorism: whether to preserve, amend or scrap portions of the USA Patriot Act, enacted in October of 2001.

Although the law passed by a vote of 357 to 66 in the House and with only one �no� vote in the Senate, it has become a magnet for fears about government intrusion into Americans� homes, businesses, and cell phone conversations.

On Thursday a panel made up of two supporters of the law and two of its critics squared off at the meeting of the conservative Federalist Society in Washington to debate whether its provisions set to expire next year should be renewed.

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I sincerely hope that someone up there reviews this Act very carefully, and gets rid of as much of it as possible. Given all that has been learned about the government coverups and even possible complicity in the 9/11 attacks that sparked this law, it is time for it to go.

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
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[edit on 14-11-2004 by Banshee]