Sanity Returns

Press Release

House Members Announce Patriot Act Reform Caucus
Tri-partisan coalition will work to ensure that constitutional rights
are protected in Patriot Act reauthorization

WASHINGTON -- April 28 -- A coalition of conservative and progressive members of Congress today held a news conference to announce the formation of the Patriot Act Reform Caucus. Press conference participants Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Ron Paul (R-TX), and Jerry Nadler (D-NY), and Butch Otter (R-ID), called for initiatives that protect the safety and security of our nation, while ensuring that the laws we pass to fight the war on terrorism do not violate civil liberties or diminish our system of checks and balances...

...“The Patriot Act needs to be revised in places to bring it into conformity with the Constitution, and to enhance checks and balances,” Nadler said. “Our default should not simply be to accept an executive branch who says, �Just trust us.’ This caucus includes Republicans and Democrats, as well as the only Independent in the House, and we’re going to be taking a hard look at the bill’s various provisions. Some of the sunsetting provisions should be kept as is, but others shouldn’t. We’re looking forward to working together to shape the best bill possible.”

Supporters of the Patriot Act argue that its provisions have not been abused since its passage in 2001,” said Paul. In essence, Justice Department officials are saying: “Trust us-- we’re the government and we say the Patriot Act does not threaten civil liberties.” But this argument misses the point. Government assurances simply are not good enough in a free society. The overwhelming burden always must be placed on government to justify any new encroachment on our liberty. Now that the emotions of September 11th have cooled, the American people are less willing to blindly accept terrorism as an excuse for expanding federal surveillance powers.

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Nice going, guys. One small step for working together, one giant leap for our precious individual rights.