Securing Our Nation

Securing Our Nation
January 13, 2006

Washington, D.C. - While there are many issues that join us together, there are some where we agree on the goal but may disagree on how to get there. Some issues seem to stir more passionate views, opinions and comments from both supporters and opponents alike. One such issue that I've heard from many of you about is the Patriot Act. This legislation, which is scheduled to be reauthorized by Congress next month, was crafted to ensure that our law enforcement personnel will continue to have the tools they need to fight terrorism and protect our nation from future attacks.

This is a tough issue. As most of you know, the Patriot Act has been a controversial piece of legislation since it was enacted in the aftermath of 9/11. This legislation was implemented to empower our intelligence communities and law enforcement authorities to combat any future threats head on. While some believe it may go too far in skirting our civil liberties, others believe that we live in a new environment where the role of law enforcement and the tools they use to protect us are more critical than ever in securing our nation from future attacks.

I strongly believe we must strike a balance between the needs of our government and the protections guaranteed to us as Americans. However, I feel strongly that these efforts must not infringe upon the civil liberties that are at the core of the American Constitution. If we do not continue to live in a free and open society, then our attackers will have won a significant victory in their efforts to change the way we live.

While my foremost concern is defending our Constitutional rights, we must also consider that the threat of terrorism continues to exist and endangers the lives of our citizens. We do know that there have been numerous thwarted attacks on Americans by terrorists over the last four years. I honestly don't think this is because the terrorists have stopped trying. I do believe, however, that as a result of the Patriot Act, our law enforcement and intelligence communities are now better able to exchange and share vital information. One valuable lesson we learned after the horrific acts of 9/11 was the widely documented barriers that existed between law enforcement and the intelligence community that prevented information sharing. The Patriot Act has helped break down these barriers and allows separate agencies to better work together to share essential information and "connect the dots."

The legislation also allows our law enforcement communities to conduct surveillance of more terror-related activities and increases penalties for those who commit acts of terrorism and those who harbor terrorists.

To safeguard concerns about possible encroachment on civil rights, for the past four years the Judiciary Committee has conducted comprehensive, bipartisan oversight of the Patriot Act while simultaneously evaluating its effectiveness. As a result of the Committee's work, the new Patriot Act bill contains 30 additional safeguards against the potential abuse of provisions within the Patriot Act, including several pertaining to the wiretapping and search warrants provisions, which have been among most controversial components of the legislation. For example, one reform requires that all "roving wiretap" orders from the FBI describe the specific target in detail to ensure that only a single individual is targeted. This reform, and others like it, will ensure that the government does not use its authority to examine multiple, unnamed targets or wiretap infinite facilities.

The Patriot Act is not perfect, but I do believe that it has done a good job in the critical task of removing the walls between law enforcement and the intelligence community. This progress is a huge step in the right direction for our nation's security. I took an oath to defend our Constitution, so I am pleased that the most current version of the Patriot Act bill contains a broad range of additional civil liberties protections. I look forward to continuing to hear your views about this important issue.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/oh02_schmidt/PatriotACT.html