Does the Patriot Act go too far? A response to the September 11 attacks, the Patriot Act is intended to help the U.S. in the fight against terrorism.

• Author: Feingold, Russell
• Position: Debate

YES

The Patriot Act gives the government too much power to get information on law abiding Americans. Our number-one priority should be protecting Americans from terrorism, but we must also preserve the rights that define our nation. The Patriot Act goes too far because it undermines the liberties for which so many Americans have fought and died.

Under the Patriot Act, the federal government can get information about your health, finances, magazine subscriptions, or membership in charitable or religious organizations. As long as the government says that the information is sought for an international terrorism or counterintelligence investigation, courts must allow access to this highly personal information.

Under the "sneak and peek" provision of the law, federal agents conducting a criminal investigation can come into your home when you're not there and look around without telling you. They do not even have to show you the warrant that Mowed the search until much later. This undermines the protection in the Constitution's Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches and seizures.

In our fight against terrorism, we must protect both the American people and the freedoms that define our society. The Patriot Act fails to strike that balance, and it should be changed. The Safe Act, a bill I support, would amend some of the most troubling provisions of the Patriot Act. The Safe Act protects the liberty and privacy of law-abiding Americans, while still allowing law enforcement to do the critically important work of fighting terrorism.

Senator Russell Feingold

Democrat of Wisconsin

NO

Since the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, the Department of Justice has worked tirelessly to protect the American people against future terrorist attacks. With the enactment of the Patriot Act, we have been able to make steady progress.

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