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House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use

By Jeralyn, Section Legislation
Posted on Wed Jun 15, 2005 at 04:06:23 PM EST
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In a rebuke to President Bush, with a nod to the First and Fourth Amendments, the House of Representatives today voted to ban the use of the Patriot Act for searches of library and book store records. Here's the roll call of the vote.

The House voted Wednesday to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the anti-terror Patriot Act to search library and book store records, responding to complaints about potential invasion of privacy of innocent readers.

Despite a veto threat from President Bush, lawmakers voted 238-187 to block the part of the anti-terrorism law that allows the government to investigate the reading habits of terror suspects.

Supporters of rolling back the library and bookstore provision said that the law gives the FBI too much leeway to go on "fishing expeditions" on people's reading habits and that innocent people could get tagged as potential terrorists based on what they check out from a library.

"If the government suspects someone is looking up how to make atom bombs, go to a court and get a search warrant," said Jerold Nadler, D-N.Y.

However, records of internet usage at libraries will continue to be allowed.

Update: The ACLU applauds the House vote.

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    House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use | 6 comments (6 topical)
    Re: House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use (none / 0) (#1)
    by Darryl Pearce on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:04 PM EST
    Well, I see my local Congressional Representative vote "no". He's a republican... isn't he supposed to be for small gov't?

    Re: House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:05 PM EST
    How nice of them to make a token gesture in giving us back a fraction of the rights we enjoyed before the evil thing was ratified in the first place. This is a non-celebration.

    Re: House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use (none / 0) (#3)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:06 PM EST
    38 Repubs voted aye. I'm surprised there are 38 Republicans with the stones to say no to Bush.

    Re: House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:06 PM EST
    I ask but never receive an answer to what rights are denied complainers under the Patriot Act. They can't name anything but still they froth.

    Re: House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:06 PM EST
    I've named them before Ed...sneak and peek searches, warrantless searches, FBI self-approved warrants and wiretaps, enemy combatant by executive decree w/o proof, etc. You know, stuff that would make Thomas Jefferson puke.

    Re: House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use (none / 0) (#7)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:00:08 PM EST
    Golly, all anyone has to do is read the US Constitution's 4th amendment to see why the PA is unconstitutional.

    House Votes to Restrict Patriot Act Use | 6 comments (6 topical)