[Libs-Or] Fwd: Call now and urge PATRIOT Act reform!

[Diedre Conkling]

FYI

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kristin Murphy, ALA Washington Office <kmurphy at alawash.org>
Date: Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Subject: Call now and urge PATRIOT Act reform!
To: Diedre Conkling <diedrec at charter.net>


     *Urgent Action Needed: Call now to reform the PATRIOT Act!*

Take Action!
<http://capwiz.com/ala/issues/alert/?alertid=14256181&queueid=4164563396>


Call your member in the House of Representatives and urge her/him to reform
the USA PATRIOT Act now!  * **Please ask your representative to co-sponsor
the USA PATRIOT Amendments Act of 2009* (H.R. 3845), *introduced by Rep.
Conyers (MI-14) and others on October 20,
2009.*<http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=W8E4bdcLi_iyes2Ke-E-dQ..>


**
Mr. Conyers and the other cosponsors should be thanked for introducing H.R.
3845.  To access the bill text, please click here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bd0RLD:@@@P|/bss/111search.html<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bd0RLD:@@@P%7C/bss/111search.html>

A mark-up in the House Judiciary Committee is currently scheduled for
*Wednesday,
November 4.*    Your calls are urgently needed before this mark-up!  Call
your individual representative's office or the U.S. Capital switchboard at
(202) 224-3121.
* *
*BACKGROUND:*  Three PATRIOT Act provisions are set to expire on December
31, 2009. This is the best chance we have had in the last eight years to get
significant reforms to Section 215, often called the "library provision,"
and to national security letters (NSLs).

The USA PATRIOT Amendments Act of 2009 protects constitutional speech and
privacy rights by:

   - Amending the NSL statute to ensure that the government only obtains
   financial, communication and credit records of people believed to be
   terrorists or spies;
   - Requiring the government to convince a court that a national security
   gag order is necessary; and
   - Ensuring that Section 215 does not authorize collection of library and
   bookstore records if they contain individualized information on the patron.

Library grassroots advocacy efforts have helped lead to the introduction of
this strong Conyers bill to bring balance back to our civil liberties while
allowing law enforcement to fight terrorist threats.  We must do everything
we can to ensure that the House of Representatives passes H.R. 3845, a bill
that can lead to genuine reform of the deeply-flawed USA PATRIOT Act.

This is especially so because the Senate is set to pass a bill with far, far
weaker reforms.  Also, as expected, there is significant opposition to these
reforms, including from the White House, the Department of Justice and the
House Intelligence Committee.  Many calls from library supporters and others
will be needed to overcome this opposition.  Call now with the following
message:

*THE MESSAGE:*

   - Pass H.R. 3845 to protect reader privacy and other First Amendment
   activities in libraries and bookstores;
   - Reform Section 215 and national security letters so that a higher legal
   standard is required to obtain these types of orders;
   - Ensure and maintain the legal right to challenge gag orders and require
   judicial review and reassessment to continue such gag orders;
   - Continue the required audits and public reports so that Congress and
   the public can assess the impact of these laws; and
   - Maintain the sunsets so that there can be regular Congressional and
   public oversight to protect against abuses of law enforcement powers.

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here<http://capwiz.com/ala/lmx/u/?jobid=136872961&queueid=4164563396>.






-- 
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR  97365
Work phone & fax:  541-265-3066
Work email:  diedre at beachbooks.org
Home email:  diedre08 at gmail.com
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