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House rejects PATRIOT Act provisions expiring Feb. 28

By John Wesley Hall, Jr.

On MainJustice.com tonight: House Rejects Patriot Act Provisions, by Fahima Haque: The House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected a measure to extend through December three expiring provisions of the Patriot Act, the national security legislation passed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. A coalition of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans – both concerned about civil liberties – came together to defeat the proposed extension on a 277-to-148 vote. Twenty-six Republicans voted with 122 Democrats against the measure, while 67 Democrats and 210 Republicans supported it. Ten members did not vote. Without congressional action, the three controversial provisions will expire on Feb. 28. The provisions are “roving wiretaps” that follow a terrorism suspect’s changing use of phone and Internet records, a “lone wolf” provision allowing law enforcement to track a target that doesn’t have an affiliation with a specific group, and so-called Section 215 orders allowing investigators to freely gather a suspect’s business records.continue to full post

Full post as published by Fourth Amendment on February 08, 2011 (boomark / email).