Patriot Debates

A Sourceblog for the USA PATRIOT Debate

A Message from the Chair and Editor

Many provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act will expire at the end of 2005. This forum is devoted to civil and informed debate about these provisions and whether they should be renewed, as well as a few other issues that are likely to be part of the renewal debate in 2005. We have an all-star cast of contributors, each of whom has agreed to an exchange of at least four comments on each provision. To see the full debate on any provision, just click on the link listed below.

-- Stewart Baker

Note: While patriotdebates.com has not been updated, it will continue to be available due to the historical significance of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Patriot Act -- The Book

Want a permanent copy of these debates in book form? You can order here.

What Parts of the USA PATRIOT Act Expire in 2005?

This site presents essays on the controversial USA PATRIOT Act provisions due to expire in 2005. These include:

Section 203(b) and 203(d)
Section 206
Section 209
Section 212
Section 214
Section 215
Section 218
Section 220
Lone Wolf

Some of the Act's provisions are set to expire in 2005 but weren't controversial at the time and still aren't. Provisions that no one was interested in debating include:

Section 201
Section 202
Section 204
Section 207
Section 217
Section 223
Section 225

In addition, some issues or provisions that aren't set to expire have become contro- versial since the Act was enacted, and may become part of the debate. These are:

Section 213
Material Support
Borders
Detainees

Comments

Sorry, but comments are not enabled. Speaking personally, I rarely read blog comments. And on a topic like this, enabling comments would tend to attract spam and vitriol — an unappetizing mixture. If you think that’s contrary to the spirit of the blogosphere, well, sue me — or start your own blog on the topic.

Readers who still want to comment can send email to patriot[dot]debates[at]gmail[dot]com. I’ll try to read and may even post useful emails sent to this address, as long as doing so is consistent with having a life.

— Stewart Baker

Resources

Disclaimer

The views expressed herein have not been approved by the House of Delegates or Board of Governors of the American Bar Association and should not be construed as representing policy of the ABA.

SEC. 209. SEIZURE OF VOICE-MAIL MESSAGES PURSUANT TO WARRANTS.

Title 18, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in section 2510--

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking beginning with "and such'' and all that follows through "communication''; and

(B) in paragraph (14), by inserting "wire or'' after "transmission of''; and

(2) in subsections (a) and (b) of section 2703--

(A) by striking "Contents of electronic'' and inserting "Contents of wire or electronic'' each place it appears;

(B) by striking "contents of an electronic'' and inserting "contents of a wire or electronic'' each place it appears; and

� 2005 American Bar Association

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.