Press Release

Patriot Reauthorization Act a Danger to Liberty

Libertarian Party Calls on Congress to Show Common Sense and Vows to Fight for America (Washington, D.C.)

In a closed session last week, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence voted to reauthorize and expand the USA PATRIOT Act, which came into law weeks after 9/11. Originally, the Patriot Act was set to expire after five years but the Bush administration and Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez are seeking to make the law permanent while expanding its reach and scope. In its current form the Patriot Act violates at least six of the amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights. Under the act, law enforcement may conduct no-notice searches of residences and businesses; conduct roving wiretaps; or seize personal files such as medical, financial, employment and even library lending history. Additionally, the PATRIOT Act has led to peaceful community groups being investigated as terrorist cells.

The new version of the PATRIOT Act, already approved by a Senate committee, will expand the reach of the FBI by giving individual agents “administrative authority” to create and approve their own search warrants. With no checks in place to prevent abuse, violations of the law would go unnoticed under the expansion of the already ineffective law.

“The Libertarian Party urges members of Congress to vote against the Patriot Reauthorization Act” stated Joe Seehusen, executive director of the National Libertarian Party. He continued, “If the PATRIOT Act is made permanent and is expanded, the Libertarian Party will continually fight to uncover abuses of the law and will assist in protecting the privacy and civil liberties of all Americans.”