[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 145 (Thursday, October 16, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2066-E2067]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CHICAGO SAYS REPEAL THE PATRIOT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 16, 2003

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter into the record a 
resolution passed by the City Council of Chicago calling on Congress to 
actively work for the repeal of sections of the PATRIOT Act that 
``violate fundamental rights and liberties as stated in the U.S. 
Constitution and its Amendments.'' This resolution was passed on 
October 1, 2003.
  I supported this resolution and I want to thank Aldermen Helen 
Shiller, Joe Moore, Freddrenna Lyle, and Ricardo Munoz for introducing 
it. I would also like to recognize and thank the City Council of 
Evanston and the President and Board of Trustees of Wilmette for 
passing similar resolutions.
  I voted against the PATRIOT Act two years ago and I continue to 
remain skeptical of its effectiveness at keeping us safe. I believe the 
PATRIOT Act violates our civil liberties, our right to due process, and 
unnecessarily targets immigrants. Therefore, I am pleased to join with 
the Chicago City Council in affirming the rights of all people living 
within Chicago and the country and in saying that we must repeal the 
PATRIOT Act.
  The following is the resolution passed by the City Council of the 
City of Chicago:

     Resolution on the USA PATRIOT Act and Related Executive Orders

       Whereas, the City of Chicago houses a diverse population, 
     including citizens of other nations, whose contributions to 
     the community are vital to its character and function; and
       Whereas, the United States Constitution guarantees certain 
     fundamental rights including: freedom of religion, speech, 
     assembly and privacy; protection from unreasonable searches 
     and seizures; due process and equal protection to any person; 
     equality before the law and the presumption of innocence; 
     access to counsel in judicial proceedings; and a fair, speedy 
     and public trial; and
       Whereas, the USA PATRIOT Act signed by George W. Bush on 
     October 26, 2001, in the opinion of many American, contains a 
     number of provisions that undermine the above mentioned 
     rights and which fundamentally alter our civil liberties 
     without increasing our security; and
       Whereas, examples of the provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act 
     and Executive orders that may undermine the constitution and 
     the rights and civil liberties of Chicago residents include:
       A significant expansion of the government's ability to 
     access sensitive medical, mental health, financial and 
     educational records about individuals; and lowers the burden 
     of proof required to conduct secret searches and telephone 
     and Internet surveillance
       Giving law enforcement expanded authority to obtain library 
     records, and prohibits librarians from informing patrons of 
     monitoring or information requests
       Giving the Attorney General and the Secretary of State the 
     power to designate domestic groups, including religious and 
     political organizations, as ``terrorist organizations''
       Granting the Attorney General the power to subject citizens 
     of other nations to indefinite detention or deportation even 
     if they have not committed a crime
       Authorizing eavesdropping on confidential communications 
     between lawyers and their clients in federal custody
       Limiting disclosure of public documents and records under 
     the Freedom of Information Act; and
       Whereas, the Department of Justice interpretations of this 
     Act and these Executive Orders particularly target 
     immigrants, including Hispanics, people of Middle Eastern and 
     South Asian descent and citizens of other nations, thereby 
     potentially encouraging racial profiling by law enforcement 
     and the unintended consequence of increase in hate crimes by 
     individuals in our community; and
       Whereas, almost 200 other cities throughout the country 
     have enacted resolutions reaffirming support for civil rights 
     and civil liberties in the face of government policies that 
     threaten these values, and are demanding accountability from 
     federal agencies regarding the use of these new powers; now 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the City of Chicago joins the almost 200 
     other U.S. cities and affirms its strong opposition to 
     terrorism, and also affirms that any efforts to end terrorism 
     not be waged at the expense of the fundamental civil rights 
     and liberties of the people of Chicago, the United States and 
     the World; and be it further
       Resolved, That the City of Chicago affirms the rights of 
     all people, including United States citizens and citizens of 
     other nations, living within the City in accordance with the 
     Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution by lawfully 
     resisting every effort to erode those rights and 
     protections including: freedom of religion, speech, 
     assembly and privacy; protection from unreasonable 
     searches and seizures; due process and equal protection to 
     any person; equality before the law and the

[[Page E2067]]

     presumption of innocence; access to counsel in judicial 
     proceedings; and fair, speedy and public trial; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, that the members of the City Council of the City 
     of Chicago call on our United States Representatives and 
     Senators to monitor the implementation of the U.S. Patriot 
     Act and the Orders in furtherance thereof and actively work 
     for the repeal of only those sections of the Act and those 
     orders that violate fundamental rights and liberties as 
     stated in the US Constitution and its Amendments by sending a 
     copy of this resolution to the Illinois delegation to 
     Congress.

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