Summary
When the Patriot Act was first passed, weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, members of Congress were criticized for passing the act, due to the fact that they were not given time to read the proposal beforehand, and little debate was allowed. This time, as 16 portions of the Patriot Act come up for review before their Dec. 31 expiration date, Congress does not intend to open themselves to that kind of criticism again. At least 10 judicial reviews of the Patriot Act have been scheduled, and the process has brought to light several cases; one hearing found police invoked the Patriot Act 108 times in a 22-month period when entering and searching a home or office without notifying the owner.
Also, after it was revealed that the terrorists used library internet connections to coordinate the Sept. 11 attacks, section 215 of the act was passed stating secret court orders can be used to obtain records or "tangible items" from any person or organization if the FBI claims a link to terrorism. Recipients of the order are legally obligated to keep its existence secret, under penalty of imprisonment. Section 215 is among the portions of the Patriot Act scheduled to expire at the end of the year.
Original source:
http://news.com.com/Congress+plans+scrutiny+of+Patriot+Act/2100-1028_3-5700986.html?tag=nefd.top
Details
Both the Senate and House of Representatives have scheduled hearings on Tuesday that are part of an extended process of reviewing the portions of the 2001 law that are scheduled to expire on Dec. 31.
Many of those 16 portions deal with computer and Internet surveillance.
Politicians are nervous about being criticized for a repeat of the process that led to the rapid-fire enactment of the Patriot Act just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
At the time, members of Congress were required to vote on the legislation without having time to read it in advance, and little debate was permitted.
This time around, politicians aren't opening themselves up for that kind of criticism again.
Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisc., has scheduled 10 hearings so far on the Patriot Act.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Penn., has said he'll hold at least three of them.
The process has led to some illuminating results.
One hearing disclosed police invoked the Patriot Act 108 times in a 22-month period when surreptitiously entering and searching a home or office without notifying the owner.
Another hearing last week provided additional details about how the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers used public libraries' Internet connections.
Wail Al Shehri, Waleed Al Shehri and Marwan Al Shehhi visited a public library in Delray Beach, Fla., and asked to use the Internet connection in July 2001, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Wainstein said.
Under section 215 of the
Patriot Act, which has alarmed librarians, secret court orders can be used to obtain records or "tangible items" from any person or organization if the FBI claims a link to terrorism.
The recipient of the secret order is gagged, and disclosing its existence is punished by a prison term.
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