[Libs-Or] Office of Government Relations issues urgent PATRIOT Act Action Alert

[Diedre Conkling]

No one from Oregon is on the Judiciary Committee but I thought you would
want to stay up to date on this issue anyway. -------------------------- Office
of Government Relations issues urgent PATRIOT Act Action Alert
<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=3830> September 30th, 2009 |
Category: Grassroots Lobbying<http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?cat=20>,
OGR <http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?cat=17>

*URGENT ALERT: *

USA PATRIOT ACT REFORMS – JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MARKUP SEPTEMBER 30TH

ADVOCATES ASKED TO CONTACT SENATORS ON JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ASAP

It is critical that library supporters from states with senators on the
Judiciary Committee call them as soon as possible urging reforms to Section
215 of the USA PATRIOT Act and laws covering national security letters.  The
Senate switchboard number is:  (202) 224-3121

There are two USA PATRIOT Act reform bills pending before the Senate
Judiciary Committee at this time.   The Committee has scheduled a work
session or “markup” of S. 1696, the USA PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act
originally introduced on September 17th by Judiciary Chairman Leahy and
Sens. Cardin* *and Kaufman.  This bill respects constitutional rights by
increasing judicial review of the use of surveillance authorities that sweep
in U.S. citizens.  The bill also expands public reporting to ensure that
Americans can monitor the use of these authorities.

[ Leahy statement:  http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200909/092209b.html ]

*THE MESSAGE:*

   - Congress should pass the USA PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act of 2009,
   S. 1692, with key amendments to protect civil liberties based upon S. 1686,
   the Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools in Counterterrorism Efforts
   (JUSTICE) Act, and,
   - Congress should also consider reforms of national security letters
   (NSLs) now as legislation on reform and reauthorization of Section 215 of
   the USA PATRIOT Act moves forward.

*TALKING POINTS:*

   - The library community thanks Senator Leahy and the bills’s other
   sponsors, Senators Cardin (MD-D) , Kaufman (DE-D) and Sanders (VT-I) for
   introducing legislation that  makes many needed reforms to Section 215 of
   the PATRIOT Act;
   - However, library advocates urge the Judiciary Committee to consider
   amendments to S. 1692, based upon provisions in S. 1686, the Judicious Use
   of Surveillance Tools in Counterterrorism Efforts (JUSTICE) Act;
   - Intensify oversight of the Section 215 and National Security Letters
   provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and other laws that limit the privacy
   rights of library users, library employees and the general public, including
   annual reports by the Department of Justice’s Inspector General.
   - Guarantee a recipient the right to consult an attorney, the right to
   challenge any gag order and due process at the time a Section 215 order or
   an NSL is served on the recipient;
   - Require the FBI to provide sufficient facts to demonstrate that a gag
   order is necessary to protect national security;  if authorized, the gag
   order should automatically expire at the end of six months unless the FBI
   shows good cause to extend the gag order.

*Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee*
*Patrick J. Leahy**,* Chairman, D-Vermont
*Herb Kohl*, D-Wisconsin
*Jeff Sessions*, Ranking Member, R-Alabama
*Dianne Feinstein*, D-California
*Orrin G. Hatch*, R-Utah
*Russell D. Feingold*, D-Wisconsin
*Charles E. Grassley*, R-Iowa
*Charles E. Schumer*, D-New York
*Jon Kyl*, R-Arizona
*Richard J. Durbin*, D-Illinois
*Lindsey Graham*, R-South Carolina
*Benjamin L. Cardin*, D-Maryland
*John Cornyn*, R-Texas
*Sheldon Whitehouse*, D-Rhode Island
*Tom Coburn*, R-Oklahoma
*Amy Klobuchar*, D-Minnesota
*Edward E. Kaufman*, D-Delaware
*Arlen Specter*, D-Pennsylvania
*Al Franken*, D-Minnesota

[For additional background information go to ALA’s recent “District
Dispatch” on USA PATRIOT Act reforms at:
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?cat=10]

Full bill text for S. 1692 is at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.1692.IS:

Full bill text for S. 1686 is at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:s.01686:



http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=3830

-- 
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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20090930/76b58cbb/attachment.html>