[OPLINLIST] FW: [FTRF-L:2564] Feingold threatens filibuster of Patriot Act extension

[Kent Oliver]

FYI, Kent

Kent Oliver, Executive Director
Stark County District Library
715 Market Ave., N., Canton, OH 44702
W: 330 458 2710 FAX: 330 455 9596
KOliver at starklibrary.org
" If God had him no balls and two strikes, he'd still get a hit." -
American League umpire Steve Palermo on George Brett



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ftrf-l at ala.org [mailto:owner-ftrf-l at ala.org] On Behalf Of
Jonathan Kelley
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2005 1:07 PM
To: Freedom to Read Foundation Board of Trustees
Subject: [FTRF-L:2564] Feingold threatens filibuster of Patriot Act
extension


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051208/ap_on_go_co/patriot_act 

House, Senate Reach Deal on Patriot Act

By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement Thursday
to extend the USA Patriot Act, the government's premier anti-terrorism
law, before it expires at the end of the month. But a Democratic senator
threatened a filibuster to block the compromise.

"I will do everything I can, including a filibuster, to stop this
Patriot Act conference report, which does not include adequate
safeguards to protect our constitutional freedoms," said Sen. Russ
Feingold (news, bio, voting record), D-Wis., who was the only senator to
vote against the original version of the Patriot Act.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., announced Thursday that
a House-Senate negotiating committee had reached an agreement that would
extend for four years two of the Patriot Act's most controversial
provisions * authorizing roving wiretaps and permitting secret warrants
for books, records and other items from businesses, hospitals and
organizations such as libraries. Those provisions would expire in four
years unless Congress acts on them again.

... 

Most of the Patriot Act would become permanent under the
reauthorization.

Feingold is not alone in his dislike of the compromise.

"We believe this conference report will not be able to get through the
Senate," said a group of six senators, including Feingold, who have been
working against the emerging deal. They said they will not support it in
any form.

The other senators are Republicans Larry Craig of Idaho, John Sununu of
New Hampshire and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Democrats Dick Durbin of
Illinois and Ken Salazar of Colorado.

It takes 60 senators to overcome a filibuster in the 100-member Senate.

"I don't think there will be a filibuster," Specter said. "I don't think
it will succeed if there is one."

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the deal should satisfy everyone. "This
agreement both preserves the provisions that have made America safer
since 9/11 and increases congressional and judicial oversight, which
should alleviate the concerns of those who believe the law enforcement
tools endanger civil liberties," he said.

But the American Civil Liberties Union immediately denounced the deal,
calling on lawmakers to reject the legislation because it intrudes too
far into the privacy of innocent Americans.

"This sham compromise agreement fails to address the primary substantive
concern raised by millions of Americans, as well as civil liberties,
privacy and business organizations and lawmakers from both sides of the
aisle and in both chambers," said Caroline Fredrickson, the ACLU's
Washington legislative office director.

...

The Senate is expected to vote on the compromise next week, Specter
said. That would give them enough time to deal with any filibuster
threats before the Patriot Act provisions expire on Dec. 31.

...