Future of the Law

The USA Patriot Act continues to be a controversial issue. The USA Patriot Act provisions will sunset in 2005, and lobbying efforts will become fierce. Civil liberties groups and Libertarians intend to block many provisions in 2005. Members of Congress are also introducing bills that will reform the act. Senators Larry Craig (R, Idaho) and Richard Durbin (D, Illinois) have testified at a hearing about their constituents’ fears of the USA Patriot Act. They have brought up Craig’s bill, known as the SAFE bill, as a way to put a “satin ribbon” of restraint on the law. “This bill would clarify and amend the USA Patriot Act’s most troubling provisions,” said Craig. His bill would seat a seven-day limit on “sneak and peek” searches and would allow law enforcement officials to obtain records only of people whom they suspect are terrorists or spies. The Craig bill is supported by many civil liberties groups, but Senator Craig has claimed that the Justice Department would not discuss the SAFE bill with him and threatened to have it vetoed. (Pulliam)

An article conducted by the Brooking Institute explained that the provisions in the SAFE bill are unnecessary and actually hinders the government’s ability to protect American citizens. The article explained that the SAFE bill purports to be based upon an assessment of the necessity for change, yet its major substantive provisions lack any factual basis for concluding that changes are necessary. It further explains that such proposals rest on incomplete legal analysis and would make America's response to terrorism less effective, and in the end, the provisions of the SAFE Act appear to be little more than a political fig leaf, intended to allow politicians to assert that they have responded to the public will and "fixed" the USA Patriot Act. (Meese, Rosenzweig)

Both supporters and non supporters of the USA Patriot Act are going to great lengths to get support from the Public. In 2003, Attorney General John Ashcroft spent more than $200,000 on trips to 32 cities in August and September to drum up support for the act (Eggen). Groups such as the NRA and ACLU use tactics that put fear in citizens that the government could do whatever it wanted under provisions of the act. These efforts by civil libertarians seem to be gaining steam. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, more than 140 cities and communities in 27 states have passed resolutions opposing the USA Patriot Act (Taylor).

Conclusion
As life has returned to normal for American citizens after September 11, opposition to the USA Patriot Act, no doubt, will increase. With increasing law suits and incidents such as the arrest of an Oregon lawyer, wrongly accused of being linked with terrorists, the USA Patriot Act will be an interesting policy to follow in 2005. Especially considering how members of Congress, civil liberty groups, and the White House will manage to work together and make compromises on their very strong and very different stances on this controversial law.

Works Cited

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