The Standing Committee on Law and National Security is pleased to introduce its newest publication, ¿Patriot Debates: Experts Debate the USA PATRIOT Act.¿
Later this year, Congress will determine whether the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act that are due to expire at the end of 2005 should be renewed. The ABA believes that an intensive review and thorough civil discourse on the provisions of the Act should precede the congressional vote. To this end, the ABA Committee assembled some of the brightest minds in national security and privacy laws to provide informed debate about these provisions and whether they should be renewed. The publication of this series of ¿point¿ and ¿counter-point¿ essay exchanges is devoted to civil and informed debate about these provisions, as well as a few other issues that are likely to be part of the renewal debate in 2005.
What Others Have Said
This collection of mini-debates among an ideologically diverse group of 17 experts is about the best imaginable introduction to the Patriot Act and the controversy that it has provoked. The book explains the more important and contentious provisions and juxtaposes the best arguments for and against them, presented by opposing experts in a readable and civil fashion. This format penetrates directly to which aspects of the law most concern serious civil libertarians; allows them to explain their specific concerns in detail; and proceeds to point-by-point responses from serious supporters of the Patriot Act and brief closing remarks by each side. In the process, Patriot Debates cuts through both the ignorant (not to say demagogic) alarmism of many critics and the complacency of some of the law¿s defenders and gets to the heart of the surprisingly small number of major disagreements among opposing experts. It focuses attention on the sometimes difficult tradeoffs between liberty and security that Congress should weigh in the balance as it considers possible amendments and whether to reenact the 16 provisions that are due to expire on December 31.
Stuart Taylor, Jr., Senior Writer and Columnist, National Journal
"The USA PATRIOT Act has helped modernize legal authorities to deal with the terrorist threat. But it also contains some provisions that potentially erode our cherished civil liberties. As Congress scrutinizes the Act and debates its reauthorization, this thoughtful compendium by the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security is an invaluable resource for policymakers."
Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), Ranking Democrat House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
