Authority to Spy on Americans Unclear as Patriot Act Expires

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

House Defies White House and Renews Two of Three Expiring Provisions

Rushed into law by Congress just weeks after Sept. 11, 2001 three controversial provisions of the Patriot Act granting officials far-reaching surveillance and seizure powers in the name of national security, are due to expire this New Year's Eve.

Two differing bills passed by the House and Senate judiciary committees in recent weeks will have to be reconciled in Congress, but only when the Senate isn't backlogged by health care, Democratic aides told ABC News.

"This critical legislation protects our national security, as well as our civil liberties, and the clock is ticking," said Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc., an author of President Bush's 2001 Patriot Act and former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee under the Bush administration.

...

But House Democrats in the Judiciary Committee went much further reigning in executive authorities and raising the threshold of proof needed to legally seize Americans' personal records and conduct wiretaps on their phones. It also slapped on more restrictions, and required more government auditing, and reporting showing how the process could be modified to enhance civil liberties.

"We have the opportunity to fix the most extreme provisions of that law and provide a better balance," said Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., who introduced the House bill, which allows one provision of the Patriot Act to expire.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sunsetting-provisions-pa...

[jmondine]

1. Um, no... the "Authority to spy on Americans" has never been unclear

Patriot Act be damned.

[unblock]

6. +1000

i've always been amazed that some people insist that the mere existence of the word "war" in the constitution somehow means that executive powers while troops are fighting (never mind that it's on the other side of the planet) can trample any other part of the constitution.

if the framers intended for wartime powers to trump other rights, they would have said so. in fact, the 3rd amendment specifically deals with a RESTRICTION of executive power in times of war (no quartering of soldiers).

[OnyxCollie]

15. We're not even in a war.

The Authorization for Use of Military Force for either Afghanistan or Iraq is not a declaration of war.

[unblock]

19. and whatever it's called, there's a huge difference between a WAR

where there are things like serious sacrifice on the part of all americans and enemy soldiers numbering in the hundreds of thousands or millions on american soil or major allies' soil, versus military occupations on the other side of the planet against maybe tens of thousands of people who can't meaningfully harm us without dying in the process -- while most americans get tax cuts.

where is the rationale. nevermind the constitutional basis, for violating civil liberties of american citizens simply because we're coincidentally trying to colonize some remote foreign land?

[unblock]

7. +1000

i've always been amazed that some people insist that the mere existence of the word "war" in the constitution somehow means that executive powers while troops are fighting (never mind that it's on the other side of the planet) can trample any other part of the constitution.

if the framers intended for wartime powers to trump other rights, they would have said so. in fact, the 3rd amendment specifically deals with a RESTRICTION of executive power in times of war (no quartering of soldiers).

[PatrynXX]

20. ditto

hate that patriot act. about as anti american as one can get without putting a light to the constitution

[leveymg]

2. Finally, some good news. Keep it coming, Mr. Chairman.

As things stand, FBI and DHS have carte blanche to issue so-called National Security Letters to obtain credit card and other confidential personal records. While Conyer's amendment does not appear to do, however, is disturb the power of NSA to intercept and retain the int'l communications of Americans without individual warrants through blanket intercept authorizations. That power was at the heart of the 2008 FISA Amendment Act that passed last summer with Senator Barack Obama's vote.

[sattahipdeep]

23. Good news?

Truth slapped in your face! 2:10 / 4:10

Madsen: 'Whistle blown on secret 9/11 unit'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnnHF3BoFxc

FIRST FRUITS maintained a database on the intercepted phone calls of U.S. journalists.

Jeremy Scahill:I also received a call yesterday, as I was going to press, from individuals I had not called. I received a call from Admiral Mike Mullen’s office, the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It was a bit surprising to me, because I had not called Admiral Mullen’s office, so when a U.S. citizen gets a call from the military, especially from the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, its a bit jolting.

And they would not tell me how they got wind of the fact I was doing the story, or how they got my number.

But now Obama finds himself in the awkward position of extending the secrecy despite his repeated pledges of greater transparency, because his administration has been unable to prod spy agencies into conformance.

[avalonofmists]

3. The question now is........where will the WH stand.....

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sunsetting-provisions-pa...

.........In renewing only two of the three sunsetting provisions, the House version has defied the White House, quietly pushing Congress to totally renew its predecessor's law.

This is not a new debate. Four years ago, then Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who taught constitutional law, voted down the same provisions along with all Senate Democrats who insisted on changes to the bill that better protected libraries, limited clandestine search warrants, roving wiretaps, and FBI gag orders.

[endless october]

4. the patriot act is still unconstitutional.

let it expire.

[keepthemhonest]

16. yes, let it expire!!!!!!!!!! nt

[ThomThom]

24. Yes let it go we don't need it.

Get a search warrant if you have evidence of criminal activity.

[Wizard777]

5. Why should a Congress that doesn't care about our health care about our safety?

It just seems to me that health care is a natural extension of National Security. In the event of an attack or invasion. A sick and unhealthy citizenry makes for a sick and unhealthy army to respond to that attack or invasion. It's really that simple.

[closeupready]

8. They STILL don't care about you but about the welfare of those who profit from securing our safety.

Because many of those are the same ones who will later finance their campaigns - it's a kind of Carousel of Corruption they have going on in DC.

[intheflow]

9. "'This critical legislation protects... our civil liberties,' said Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc."

The PATRIOT Act never protected Americans' civil liberties, it has stripped us of them! Geebus, I hate Orwellian Rethuglicans!

[RedCloud]

10. Just spy on conservatives and Republicans. They are way past due for equal time.

[defendandprotect]

11. Keep the Constitution -- Toss the Patriot Act . . . which btw was written before 9/11 . . .

MIHOP

[Quantess]

12. Nice. The Dems have control of the House, and this is what they give us.

Weak sauce.

[Solly Mack]

13. k/r

[winyanstaz]

14. The Patriot act is unconstututional..and needs to go.

They know it is unconstututional.
Obama is a constututionaol scholar and KNOWS it is unconstututional.
Why are we still getting this?

[Joanne98]

17. Let the whole thing expire!

[Mari333]

18. ditto!!

[omega minimo]

21. How far will this farce go?

This is why you impeach the bastards while they're in office, sort out all their illegalities, NOT hand them off to future administrations and Congresses.

[woodcarver]

22. What unvarnished bullshit!

This critical legislation protects our national security, as well as our civil liberties, and the clock is ticking," said Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner

Sensenbrenner is either dumb as a dog turd or he's a lying snake - with a high probability of being both.