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ASNE opposes straight renewal of USA Patriot Act
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 05/19/2015 11:01:46
- In: Open government
The letter that ASNE and 51 other organizations signed opposes S 1035, which would reauthorize the Patriot Act without affecting the controversial Section 215.
ASNE was one of 52 organizations on a letter to House and Senate leadership that opposes a straight reauthorization of Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act.
Signed by a wide spectrum of organizations, the letter opposes S 1035, which would reauthorize the Patriot Act without affecting the controversial Section 215. That section, which allows the government to compel the production of certain "tangible things" in relation to terrorism investigations, has provided the basis of many of the bulk surveillance programs that have been in the news lately and has resulted in the issuance of subpoenas to communications companies for the phone and email records of reporters.
With the USA Patriot Act up for renewal this year and the recent ruling by a United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit that the bulk surveillance programs violate the Constitution, we urge Congress to take a hard look at Section 215 rather than rubber stamp its renewal.