11/18/2005 - USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Compromise Bill

From: Elizabeth Milner, LWVPA President, lwvpa@epix.net and Susan Fields, Civil Liberties Specialist, sudofields@aol.com

The House-Senate USA PATRIOT Act reauthorization compromise report to H.R.3199 falls short of the limited civil liberties fixes in the Senate bill and even creates new problems. The draft compromise:

• Fails to ensure a connection between records sought and a suspected terrorist.
• Ignores previous unanimous House and Senate votes for four-year sunsets and replaces them with seven-year sunsets.
• Strengthens National Security Letter powers.
• Does not create any meaningful rights to challenge orders for records and gag orders.
• Includes new problematic provisions.

The November 17, 2005 LWVUS President’s Letter contains LWVUS’s strong opposition to this conference report and urges members to contact their Representative and Senators to oppose the conference report H.R. 3199:

The League of Women Voters strongly opposes the conference report on H.R. 3199, the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act, which was tentatively agreed to by House and Senate conferees on Wednesday, November 16. The conference report does not sufficiently protect civil liberties. It fails to restore the checks and balances that were taken away by the USA PATRIOT Act. The House and Senate may vote on the conference report at any time. Contact your Representatives and Senators and ask them to oppose the conference report to H.R. 3199. Check www.lwv.org for updates and action.

Even if you have previously contacted your member of Congress and United States Senators to express your concerns about the Patriot Act and the reauthorization provisions, we are asking you once again to call and urge them to vote against this proposed compromise bill.Remind them that you are part of a growing and strong movement, among people of all political ideologies, who support real reform of the Patriot Act who had been willing to support the Senate reauthorization provisions but strongly oppose this compromise report.

Because time is of the essence, we think it would be most effective if you would call their offices in Washington, D.C.

Here are the phone numbers you will need:

US SENATORS FROM PENNSYLVANIA

Arlen Specter 202-224-4254
Rick Santorum 202-224-6324

MEMBERS OF THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM PENNSYLVANIA

Robert Brady 1st District 202-225-4731
Charles W. Dent 15th District 202-225-6411
Mike Doyle 14th District 202-225-2135
Phil English 3rd District 202-225-5406
Chaka Fattah 2nd District 202-225-4001
Michael G. Fitzpatrick 8th District 202-225-4276
James W. Gerlach 6th District 202-225-4315
Melissa A. Hart 4th District 202-225-2565
Tim Holden 17th District 202-225-5546
Paul E. Kanjorski 11th District 202-225-6511
Timothy F. Murphy 18th District 202-225-2301
John P. Murtha, Jr. 12th District 202-225-2065
John E. Peterson 5th District 202-225-5121
Joseph R. Pitts 16th District 202-225-2411
Todd Platts 19th District 202-225-5836
Allyson Y. Schwartz 13th District 202-225-6111
Don Sherwood 10th District 202-225-3731
Bill Franklin Shuster 9th District 202-225-2431
Curt Weldon 7th District 202-225-2011

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