The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 & the USA PATRIOT Act Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Act of 2008
Over the past decade, the Justice Department has worked closely with Congress and other federal agencies to strengthen the nation’s laws against terrorism, update the legal authorities needed to detect and disrupt terror plots, and tear down walls hindering intelligence and law enforcement officials from gathering and sharing information critical to protecting the nation. Some of the most significant changes in this area include the following:
The USA PATRIOT Act, which was enacted in 2001, has helped investigators identify, dismantle and disrupt many terrorist plots. Expiring provisions of the Act were reauthorized by the USA PATRIOT Act Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, and by subsequent legislation in 2009 and 2011, allowing investigators to continue to use these vital authorities. These laws have helped law enforcement and intelligence agencies protect the nation in the following ways:
In 2008, legislation was enacted that modernized the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. The FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which passed with a bipartisan majority of Congress and broad support from the intelligence community, allows intelligence professionals to more quickly and effectively monitor terrorist communications, while protecting the civil liberties of Americans. Among other things, the law accomplishes the following: