[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    USA PATRIOT ACT ADDITIONAL REAUTHORIZING AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2006

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                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 7, 2006

  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to S. 2271, the USA 
PATRIOT Act Additional Reauthorizing Amendments Act of 2006.
  Although this legislation makes some improvements to the version of 
the bill I voted against in December, it still does not do enough to 
protect the civil liberties of innocent Americans--civil liberty 
protections that I tried to include by seeking permission to offer an 
amendment that would have strengthened the Privacy and Civil Liberties 
Oversight Board. Unfortunately, the Rules Committee refused to even 
allow this amendment to be debated when the House first considered this 
legislation last year.
  Despite these revisions, libraries, businesses, and doctor's offices 
still could be forced to turn over the records of patrons with 
insufficient judicial oversight or independent review. This lack of 
oversight by the courts extends to the recipients of Section 215 orders 
and National Security Letters who were unable to force a review until a 
year had passed. Finally, this bill does not force government agents to 
inform the owners of homes subject to ``sneak and peek'' searches 
within seven days.
  I continue to have strong concerns that Congress is relinquishing its 
oversight duties by making permanent fourteen of sixteen provisions 
included in the original PATRIOT Act passed in 2001. We all want to 
prevent terrorist attacks by apprehending suspected leaders and 
participants before they have the chance to act on their plans. 
However, we should not cast aside the Constitution in the process. I do 
not think it is too much for our constituents to expect their elected 
representatives to be diligent in protecting their rights.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against this legislation.

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