The full name of the legislation is the uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001, hence the acronym usa patriot act. The usa patriot act, commonly known as the patriot act, is a statute enacted by the united states government that president george w. It was signed into law after the terrorists attacks of september 2001. List of books and articles about usa patriot act online. Usa patriot is an acronym for uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate. Senate and house of representative, was controversial, and parts of the. Cspan 10262001 george w bush signs the patriot act. Patriot act is also known as public law 10756, printed at 115 stat. It was then introduced into the senate as the usa act of 2001 s. Surveillance under the usapatriot act american civil. Dec 01, 2001 the uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001 usa patriot act, signed into law on october 26, represents the u. Uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism usa patriot act act of 2001 title i.
The authors of the five books in the landmark legislation series take the reader behind the scenes to show the drama that led to each bill being passed and the effect each piece of legislation has had in the development of our country. That having been said, patriot act is a well written, gripping novel about the nearfuture shattering of a tyrannical regime ruling the united states. Remember when the patriot act debate was all about propublica. Enhancing domestic security against terrorism establishes in the treasury the counterterrorism fund. The usa patriot act is an antiterrorism law enacted by the u. The name patriot provide appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act was attached to h.
Just six weeks after the september 11 attacks, a panicked congress passed the usapatriot act, an overnight revision of the nations surveillance laws that vastly expanded the governments authority to spy on its own citizens, while simultaneously reducing checks and balances on those powers like judicial oversight, public accountability, and the ability to. Mar 02, 2012 but feingold, a wisconsin democrat, was never more alone than on oct. Oct 24, 2001 vote smart provides free, unbiased, indepth information about current officials, candidates, issues, legislation, and voting. United states of america usa patriot act of 2001 research. Congress passed the usa patriot act in october and the president signed it into law the same month. Usa patriot act title iii international money laundering. Within this past year alone, there have been hundreds of instances of russian bomber planes, submarines, fighter jets, and warships crossing into foreign territory without permission. Lachlan fox heard his name over the pa system at jfk. The act s official title is, uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism, or usapatriot. Shortly after the terrorist attacks of september 11, 2001, congress passed a complex, 342page billthe usa patriot actto help the government fight its war on terrorism.
The agency said it had discovered irregularities in a system it created under a 2015 law, the usa freedom act, to collect data from u. It was presented to congress days after the september 11 th attacks in 2001. The usa patriot act is a law written to help the government investigate, prevent, and punish people committing acts of terrorism. I wasnt very familiar with the patriot act until i decided that, as an american, i should know more about how our government is taking steps to protect us. A reference handbook is an indepth examination of the difficult wartime task of balancing civil liberties against national security. But feingold, a wisconsin democrat, was never more alone than on oct. Feb 28, 2008 it was then introduced into the senate as the usa act of 2001 s. The title of the act is a contrived three letter initialism usa preceding a seven letter acronym patriot, which in combination stand for uniting and strengthening. Since the bill was signed on october 26, 2001, the patriot act has become the subject of intense controversy. The contrived acronym stands for uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001 public law.
Did the patriot act change us attitudes on surveillance. Does anyone recall the 2001 anthrax attacks were used to push. Key senators have reached a deal with the white house that allays the civil liberties concerns of some critics of the law. Section 412 of the final version of the antiterrorism legislation, the uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism h. Soon after the september 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, members of congress quickly passed legislation to grant sweeping new power to both domestic law enforcement and international intelligence agencies the new law, known as the usa patriot act was passed within weeks of the attacks, yet received little input from experts outside law enforcement. Usa patriot act, also called patriot act, in full uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001, u. A man protests the patriot act during an anarchist rally on the final day of the democratic national convention at copley plaza july 29, 2004 in boston. The antiterrorism patriot act is introduced in congress on october 2, 2001 see october 2, 2001, but it is not well received by all. Often referred to simply as the patriot act, it was signed by bush on october 26, 2001. It passed in the senate by a vote of 981 and in the house of representatives by 35766.
Sacrificing civil liberties in the name of national security. On this day in 2001, president bush signed the usa patriot act, an antiterrorism law drawn up in response to the attacks on the pentagon and world trade center on sept. The framework of the act was drafted by president george w. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in politics, or the future of our nation. Title iii this section of the patriot act is aimed at cutting off the financial support of terrorist groups. Some claim it impermissibly infringes on constitutional rights. October 2001 afghanistan war, patriot act rushed through. Vote smart provides free, unbiased, indepth information about current officials, candidates, issues, legislation, and voting. It has provisions requiring banks to take steps to prevent money laundering, allows lawenforcement agencies to gather information from banks and creates longer prison terms for money laundering and smuggling. The memos aim is to push the legal limits of the justification. Sep 08, 2016 a man protests the patriot act during an anarchist rally on the final day of the democratic national convention at copley plaza july 29, 2004 in boston. Immediately after the september 11, 2001 attacks, president george bush was able to push one of the most controversial acts through congress.
Summary of key sections of the usa patriot act of 2001 by. The intelligence communitys push for expanded legal surveillance powers began far before the events of 911. The excerpts provided here show some of the laws more controversial. The history of the usa patriot act involved many parties who opposed and supported the legislation, which was proposed, enacted and signed into law 45 days after the september 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The usa patriot act commonly known as the patriot act is an act of the united states congress that was signed into law by u. Us congress, 1022001 one day later, senate majority leader and future anthrax target tom daschle dsd says he doubts the senate will take up this bill in the one week timetable the administration wants. Jun 17, 20 in the months following the october 2001, passage of the patriot act, there was a heated public debate about the very provision of the law that we now know the government is using to vacuum up. Public law 10756 107th congress an act to deter and punish terrorist acts in the united states and around the. Congress in october 2001, at the request of thenpresident george w. Sixteen surveillance provisions are set to expire on dec. The patriot act has a bad pedigree and an evil history. The patriot act was signed into law by president george w. The patriot act was passed in order to fight, limit, and reduce terrorism in the united states.
The usa patriot act is a comprehensive piece of legislation that increases the power of the government and intelligence agencies to monitor and punish terrorists and suspected terrorist activity. Within weeks of the september 11 terrorist attacks, overwhelming majorities in both houses of congress passed the usa patriot act. A legal analysis introduction congress passed the usa patriot act the act in response to the terrorists attacks of september 11, 2001. The author of the patriot act is jim sensenbrenner. Sacrificing civil liberties in the name of national security, james x. The laws full name is the uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001, hence the acronym usa. Usa patriot act title iii international money laundering abatement and antiterrorist financing act of 2001 sec. The usa patriot act, though approved by large majorities in the u. The usa patriot act additional reauthorization amendments act of 2006, pub. It has provisions requiring banks to take steps to prevent money laundering, allows lawenforcement agencies to gather information from banks and creates longer prison terms for. The usa patriot act of 2001 is a 342page, sprawling piece of legislation that contains more than 150 sections and amends more than 15 federal laws. How the antiterrorism bill permits indefinite detention of.
Oct 26, 2010 cspan 1026 2001 george w bush signs the patriot act. While the results have been important, in passing the patriot act, congress. Bush in response to the terrorist attacks that took place on september 11, 2001, in new york and washington, d. Remember when the patriot act debate was all about. Patriot act after september 11, congress passed a security legislation in order to make the country safer. Educating a society is easily the best book that ive come across on the subject of the patriot act. Excerpts from usa patriot act excerpts from the usa patriot act, 2001 congress passed the usa patriot act in october 2011, and president george w. The usa patriot act of 2001 center for immigration studies. Shortly after the terrorist attacks of september 11, 2001, congress passed a complex, 342page billthe usa patriot act to help the government fight its war on terrorism. Among others expressing reservations or outright opposition to sections of the patriot act are.