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.