Souder's Stance on the Patriot Act

Congressman Souder's office sent this press release today.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Mark Souder voted today for House passage of S. 2271, the USA PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006, legislation that will add further civil liberty protections to the PATRIOT Act by addressing Section 215 orders, National Security Letters, and adding clarification that libraries functioning in their traditional capacity, including providing basic Internet access, are not subject to National Security Letters. The bill passed the House by a bipartisan majority of 280-138.

"As much as anything, the Patriot Act reflects a change in our national mentality resulting from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and it has been the most important tool for our law enforcement, intelligence and defense communities," said Souder, a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee. "It was absolutely essential that Congress renewed the law following a proper review. Together with the additional amendments that we passed today, this legislation goes a long way toward fighting terrorism while ensuring our civil liberties."

Last week, the Senate passed the conference report to the USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3199), which the House had passed in December. President Bush is expected to sign the conference report into law on Thursday.

The conference report to H.R. 3199 will:

permanently eliminate barriers that had prevented information sharing and better coordination between law enforcement and the intelligence community;
update the law to reflect new technologies and new threats;
enhance penalties for those who commit acts of terrorism and those who harbor terrorists;
strengthen efforts to combat terrorism at America's seaports;
increase penalties for attacks against railroad and mass transit;
make certain air piracy crimes subject to the death penalty;
strengthen efforts to combat terrorism financing;
make permanent 14 of the 16 expiring PATRIOT Act provisions; and
fight the scourge of methamphetamine labs and abuse across the country by enacting the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, much of which Souder authored.

Under the bill (S. 2271) passed by the House today:

Recipients of Section 215 orders (a subpoena granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court to obtain sensitive information on individuals such as library, medical, education or gun-related records) will have the explicit right to challenge the non-disclosure requirement ("gag order") order that accompanies a 215 order.
A provision that requires an individual to provide the FBI with the name of an attorney consulted regarding a National Security Letter will be removed. National Security Letters are administratively-issued (that is, not issued by a judge) subpoenas used to gain targeted financial and electronic records.
Current law will be clarified to ensure that libraries functioning in their traditional roles, including providing Internet access, are not subject to National Security Letters.

S. 2271 will now be sent to the President.

The biggest part for Souder in this biil is the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act. It show voters that he has taken the lead nationally on an issue. Its also an issue that his opponents can only argue against minute points within it rather than the Act as a whole.