MPAC Joins Broad Coalition to Fix Patriot Act Provisions
November 05, 2009
Last week, MPAC joined a coalition of 20 civil society organizations to reform the USA PATRIOT Act. The coalition sent a letter to the senior members of the House Judiciary Committee, including John Conyers (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Booby Scott (D-VA) in support of bill H.R. 3845.
H.R. 3845 seeks to raise the proof of evidence standards for issuing Section 215 orders (known as the "Library Provision"). Currently the law allows for such order to be issues without direct relevance to someone with ties to, or being directly accused of being a terrorist, spy or other agent of a foreign power.
The letter also calls for expanding the humanitarian exemption within "material support" provisions. The only exemptions presently allowed are medicines and religious items. The present laws put human rights and humanitarian organizations a risk for having their assets frozen and/or prosecution for providing basic aid like food, water, shelter, and clothing. In other words, a charity can provide medicine, but no water or food to take that medicine with.
Instead the letter calls for expanding the humanitarian exemption to include:
- Food, shelter and clothing
- Medical services and equipment
- Civil public services
- Educational materials and activities
Finally, the letter also calls for strengthening judicial oversight by raising evidence requirement standards and surveillance minimization standards for certain types of surveillance methods. It also calls for supporting H.R. 3846, also known as the FISA Amendments Act of 2009, which seeks to repeal telecom immunity against those business involved in warrantless wiretapping.
"We welcome these bills as an important first step to protecting the liberties of all Americans," said MPAC Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati. "America can remain protected from its enemies without having to abandon the Constitution."
MPAC will continue to work with coalition allies to engage Congressional leaders and push for greater civil liberties protections for all Americans.
- Alejandro Beutel (alejandro@mpac.org) Government Liaison
