EDUCAUSE Live! June 7, 2005 1:00 p.m. EDT (12:00 p.m. CDT, 11:00 a.m. MDT, 10:00 a.m. PDT); runs one hour

The USA PATRIOT Act: Past, Present, Future

Special Guest

James X. Dempsey
Executive Director
Center for Democracy and Technology

Jim Dempsey joined the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) in early 1997 and became executive director in 2003. In addition to day-to-day management responsibilities, he works on privacy and electronic surveillance issues and heads CDT's international project, the Global Internet Policy Initiative. Prior to joining CDT, Dempsey was deputy director of the Center for National Security Studies. From 1995 to 1996, he served as special counsel to the National Security Archive, an NGO that uses the Freedom of Information Act to gain the declassification of documents on U.S. foreign policy. From 1985 to 1994, Dempsey was assistant counsel to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights. He has traveled extensively abroad to speak on civil liberties issues and consult with government officials and human rights organizations. From 1980 to 1984, Dempsey was an associate with the law firm of Arnold & Porter, where he practiced in areas of government and commercial contracts, energy law, and antitrust. He also maintained an extensive pro bono representation of death row inmates in federal habeas proceedings. Dempsey also clerked for the Hon. Robert Braucher of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Summary

Your host, Steve Worona, will be joined by James X. Dempsey, and the topic will be "The USA PATRIOT Act: Past, Present, Future."

Just six weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress adopted the USA PATRIOT Act. Enacted with the best intentions and in response to a serious threat, the PATRIOT Act passed under intense time pressure and without serious debate. The PATRIOT Act expanded law enforcement's ability to gather and share information, raising concerns from privacy advocates, civil libertarians, librarians, and others. Some of the more controversial elements of the PATRIOT Act were mitigated by "sunset" provisions—unless explicitly renewed by Congress before December 31, 2005, those elements will automatically terminate. In this session, we will examine what makes the PATRIOT Act such a lightning rod for hopes and fears, as well as the legislative proposals to expand it and cut it back.

Related EDUCAUSE Resources

• USA PATRIOT Act
• Archives of past EDUCAUSE Live! seminars