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 News from Around the Americas | March 2006 
Bush Signs New Version of Patriot Act
 Bill Brubaker - Washington Post
| | President Bush, surrounded by members of Congress, signs a new version of the Patriot Act during a ceremony at the White House. (Jim Young/Reuters) |
President Bush yesterday signed the new version of the USA Patriot Act, the broad anti-terrorism law that gave the FBI expanded powers after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
"America remains a nation at war," Bush said at a White House signing ceremony. " . . . In the face of this ruthless threat, our nation has made a clear choice. . . . We are not going to be attacked again."
Bush's signature followed a 280-138 House vote Tuesday night and 89-10 Senate vote March 2 in favor of the Patriot Act. The congressional approval came after an often emotional 2 1/2 -month debate over whether the law tramples on civil liberties.
Yesterday, a report on the Patriot Act by the Justice Department's inspector general said the FBI has reported more than 100 possible violations to an intelligence oversight board during the past two years, including cases in which agents tapped the wrong telephone, intercepted the wrong e-mails or continued to listen to conversations after a warrant had expired.
Rep. John Conyers Jr. (Mich.), the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called the report "yet another vindication for those of us who have raised concerns about the administration's policies in the war on terror."
But a Justice spokesman, Brian Roehrkasse, said the department was "pleased that the inspector general once again confirmed that there have been no substantiated civil liberties violations from the Patriot Act."
Bush said the law has been a key tool in fighting terrorism.
"The law allows our intelligence and law enforcement officials to continue to share information," he said. "It allows them to continue to use tools against terrorists that they use against drug dealers and other criminals. It will improve our nation's security while we safeguard the civil liberties of our people."
Bush said the legislation strengthens the Justice Department "so it can better detect and disrupt terrorist threats. And the bill gives law enforcement new tools to combat threats to our citizens, from international terrorists to local drug dealers."
Washington Post staff writer Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report. |
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