Bill of Rights Defense Committee

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Resolution Efforts:
The Bill of Rights

(Campaign Ended) Bring PATRIOT Act in line with U.S. Constitution

The House will consider PATRIOT Act reauthorization legislation this week, and the Senate will soon follow. Please contact your representatives in Congress and urge them to defend civil liberties.

Please call or fax AND email them today!

February 09, 2010

Subject:
Bring PATRIOT Act in line with U.S. Constitution

Dear Congressperson

Since Congress enacted the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001, it has not ensured that the new powers are needed or provided sufficient oversight over their use or misuse. Its overbroad powers have fallen most heavily on people of Arab, Muslim, and South Asian descent; and people who disagree with government policies.

In fact, we now know that the FBI has invested valuable counterterrorism resources gathering information on the constitutionally protected free speech activities of the latter group.  Such abuse of the executive branch's authority actually make our country less safe from terrorists by destroying the trust between our country's people and their government. 
 
As your constituent, I urge you to heed the nearly 400 communities and seven states that have passed resolutions calling on Congress to bring the Patriot Act in line with the Constitution by:

. restoring personal privacy and due process and respect for the rule of law; 
. respecting First Amendment rights and the balance of power between branches of government; 
. limiting the definition of "terrorism" to violent crimes perpetrated on human civilian targets for political gain; 
. prohibiting all authorized prisoner abuse; and 
. decreasing government secrecy.

Neither H.R. 3199 in the House nor S. 1389 in the Senate, as currently written, goes far enough in ensuring these constitutional rights.  I ask you to provide a check against abuse and stand up for the rights of your constituents.

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