Bipartisan Bill Would Repeal Patriot Act To End Government Spying On Americans

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Huffington Post

Bipartisan Bill Would Repeal Patriot Act To End Government Spying On Americans
The Huffington Post | By Lydia O'Connor
Posted: 03/24/2015 8:20 pm EDT Updated: 36 minutes ago

A bipartisan bill introduced in Congress Tuesday would end government spying on ordinary Americans by repealing the Patriot Act as advocates rush to reauthorize the law's most controversial provisions before a June deadline.

The Surveillance State Repeal Act, introduced by Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), would overturn the 2001 Patriot Act that allowed for mass government surveillance in the name of anti-terrorism and the destruction of any information collected under it. The bill also would repeal the 2008 FISA Amendments Act, which allows Internet spying, and would stop the government from forcing tech manufacturers to compromise encryption or privacy features to allow spying on their devices. Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden, who exposed the National Security Agency's mass surveillance in 2013, would have additional protections.

"Revelations about the NSA's programs reveal the extraordinary extent to which the program has invaded Americans' privacy," Pocan said in a press release. "I reject the notion that we must sacrifice liberty for security -- we can live in a secure nation which also upholds a strong commitment to civil liberties. This legislation ends the NSA's dragnet surveillance practices, while putting provisions in place to protect the privacy of American citizens through real and lasting change."

The bill faces an uphill battle in Congress, The Hill notes, as milder bills aimed at the Patriot Act in recent years haven't mustered enough votes to move forward.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/24/surveillance-state-repeal-act_n_6935632.html

[bl968]

1. The problem is

The spying was going on before the Patriot Act, the patriot act just codified what was already going on making it quasilegal. It also doesn't go far enough, you have to also repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists.

[Fred Drum]

6. Authorization for Use of Military Force

AUMF

not aumfat

[Gumboot]

2. Then there's the Military Comissions Act (2006)...

... which quietly and effectively overrode the 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th Amendments.

Jeez, unpicking the whole disgusting Cheney / Bush mess could take years. But the Patriot Act is a very good place to start.

[Fred Drum]

5. where was rectal feeding authorized

maybe that should be repealed

[Thespian2]

7. Spot on Post!

Gotta' start somewhere. The people need their government back.

[BeanMusical]

3. Fingers crossed.

[Fred Drum]

4. does killing the patriot act

mean cops won't kill us anymore

or can they still fear for their lives

[DeSwiss]

8. I'm sure this'll solve the problem.

- K&R

[Hekate]

9. Well, it's a start, it's a start. nt

[billhicks76]

10. It's About Time

It's used mostly to control citizens and has little to do with terrorism.

[Scuba]

11. Excellent start. Thank you Mark Pocan (he's the real deal!!)!!

[bvar22]

12. Also need to get rid of:

*"Secret" FISA Courts.

*The NDAA ( giving any president the authority to kill anyone, anywhere, whenever they feel like it.)

*The Homeland Security Department (A Trillion Dollar Fiasco)

*The TSA
...and adopt sane measures to protect our airports and borders.