[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 78 (Thursday, June 2, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN OPPOSITION TO EXTENSION OF PATRIOT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 2, 2011

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this extension 
of the three provisions of the misnamed PATRIOT Act. It is a travesty 
that the House and Senate leadership bring this measure to the floor at 
the 11th hour--just as the provisions are on the verge of sunsetting--
hide it as an amendment to an unrelated Senate bill, and issue all 
manner of alarmist warnings that if we do not pass it without delay a 
terrorist attack is imminent. No amendments were allowed, nor were 
substantive opportunities to engage in a broader debate on the three 
measures being extended.
  Let us be clear about one thing: the PATRIOT Act is unconstitutional. 
The three measures that were extended today were the most controversial 
sections of the original bill, which is why the sunset provisions for 
these were built into in the original bill in the first place. The 
Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is clear on these issues:
  ``The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, 
papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall 
not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, 
supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place 
to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.''
  Section 206 and Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, which the House is 
renewing today, remove that particularity requirement, allowing massive 
surveillance of American citizens' most private and personal effects.
  These sections, along with the never used ``Lone Wolf' provision are 
unnecessary, they do not protect us against terrorism, and they should 
be allowed to sunset. There is little evidence the PATRIOT Act has 
directly led to the conviction of anyone on serious terrorism charges, 
but there is plenty of evidence that federal agencies have repeatedly 
used its provisions to unnecessarily spy on American citizens.
  I remain most strongly opposed to the PATRIOT Act and any such attack 
on the civil liberties of American citizens. Such measures may be well-
intentioned and put in place under the belief that the sacrifice of 
liberty is required for our safety, but nothing could be further from 
the truth.

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