Urge Elected Officials to Back Patriot Act Reform

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/28/2009) - CAIR is asking American Muslims and other people of conscience to contact members of the U.S. House and Senate Judiciary committees who represent them and urge these officials to support legislation that improves some of the Patriot Act’s civil liberties violations.

Three sections of the Patriot Act will sunset, or expire, at the end of the year, allowing an opportunity to revisit the law in its entirety.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, hearings examining the Patriot Act were held in both the House and Senate.

Speaking at the House hearing, ACLU Policy Counsel and former FBI agent Michael German summed up the civil liberties community’s concerns saying, “Put very simply, under the Patriot Act the government now has the right to know what you’re doing, but you have no right to know what it’s doing.”

Last Thursday, Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) proposed the JUSTICE Act “to place reasonable safeguards on the use of surveillance and other authorities under the USA PATRIOT Act.” The bill’s official designation is S. 1686.

Go here to read the bill: (Type S 1686 into the search field and select “bill number.”)

You can watch the video of the Senate hearing here and the House hearing here, and read Michael German’s full written testimony here.

“Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have argued for more civil liberties protections in the Patriot Act. They should hear from the community so they know that there is broad public support for this goal,” said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor.

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUESTED:

1) Contact your elected officials by clicking here. A ready-to-send letter is provided for you, or you can edit the text to add your own message.

2) Put your cell phone to good use. Act as a facilitator call all of your friends and family members and ensure that they contact their elected officials.