Senate, House Pass Patriot Act Renewal

By Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 04/01/2006

In an 89–10 vote, the Senate March 2 passed legislation renewing the USA PATRIOT Act, after four Republican Senators agreed to a compromise negotiated with the White House (see News, LJ 3/15/05). The House of Representatives followed up with its approval, and the bill was signed March 9, one day before the expiration of the Patriot Act extension.

American Library Association (ALA) president Michael Gorman reiterated ALA’s disapproval of the deal: “Although some have claimed that the compromise language includes new protections for library patrons, those alleged protections are illusory. Section 215 continues to allow the government to secretly search library patron records without proof that the person whose records are being sought has committed a crime or is in contact with a suspected terrorist. The 'compromise' language continues to attach a gag provision to Section 215 orders and does not allow Section 215 recipients to meaningfully challenge that gag order in a court of law.” Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted for the compromise bill but is also drafting legislation to revise the Patriot Act.