“Since the terrible attacks of September 11, 2001, the Department of Justice’s highest priority has been to protect Americans by preventing acts of terrorism. I applaud Congress for reauthorizing each and every expiring provision of the USA PATRIOT Act and providing additional tools to fight terrorism and other serious crimes."

“This reauthorization is the product of nearly a year of serious debate and congressional oversight -- an important process that demonstrated that the USA PATRIOT Act is critical to our ongoing efforts to protect Americans. This review also confirmed that the Department of Justice has used the investigative tools provided by the Act in a responsible manner. The reauthorization bill makes permanent vital provisions -- including those that helped dismantle the ‘wall’ between intelligence and law enforcement -- and also adds dozens of civil liberties safeguards. Importantly, the legislation provides additional tools for protecting our mass transportation systems and seaports from attack; takes steps to combat the methamphetamine epidemic that is sweeping our country; and closes dangerous loopholes in our ability to prevent terrorist financing. Finally, the reauthorization bill provides for the creation of a National Security Division at the Department of Justice, enabling us to more effectively fulfill our vital national security mission. We all can be proud of this legislation.”

STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ALBERTO R. GONZALES ON THE PASSAGE OF THE USA PATRIOT ACT
March 2, 2006

"Today, the Senate faced a decision whether we continued to wage the war on terror or whether we retreated to a pre-9/11 security approach. Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of the Senate voted to extend the most critical anti-terrorism legislation enacted since 9/11. The 89-to-10 bipartisan vote illustrates an understanding that the PATRIOT Act has kept us safer while protecting the civil liberties we cherish."

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STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE JUCIDIARY COMMITTEE JAMES SENSENBRENNER ON THE RENEWAL OF THE USA PATRIOT ACT
March 2, 2006

FACT SHEET: USA PATRIOT ACT IMPROVEMENT AND REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005
The USA PATRIOT Act, enacted on October 26, 2001, has been critical in preventing another terrorist attack on the United States. It brought the federal government’s ability to investigate threats to the national security into the modern era—by modifying our investigative tools to reflect modern technologies, eliminating barriers to effective national security investigations, and giving national security investigators the same sorts of tools as have long been available to investigators who handle non-national security matters.

Today, following several months of intense debate, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 (H.R. 3199). This legislation reauthorizes all expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, adds dozens of additional safeguards to protect Americans' privacy and civil liberties, strengthens port security, and provides tools to combat the spread of methamphetamine. The reauthorizing legislation provides essential support for our efforts to protect both Americans and the values that Americans cherish.

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30 NEW CIVIL LIBERTIES SAFEGUARDS ADDED TO THE USA PATRIOT ACT:
The Administration has scored a number of key victories in the War on Terror over the past four years, many as a result of expanded information sharing and investigative tools provided by the USA PATRIOT Act. On December 31, 2005, 16 key provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act will expire unless the Senate acts to reauthorize them.

Despite a four-year track record with no verified civil liberties abuses, the current bill adds more than 30 new significant civil liberties safeguards. Unless the Senate reauthorizes the USA PATRIOT Act, these additional civil liberties protections will also be lost.

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Zero. That's the number of substantiated USA PATRIOT Act civil liberties violations. Extensive congressional oversight found no violations. Six reports by the Justice Department's independent Inspector General, who is required to solicit and investigate any allegations of abuse, found no violations. Intense public scrutiny has yet to find a single civil liberty abuse. Despite many challenges, no federal court has declared unconstitutional any of the PATRIOT Act provisions Congress is renewing.

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The Wall Street Journal: PATRIOT Act Showdown
In a December 21 editorial, the Wall Street Journal calls on the Senate minority of 42 Democrats and four Republicans to end the filibuster on the PATRIOT Act and allow the Senate to give this important bill and up or down vote.

At midnight on December 31, while Americans are ringing in the New Year, terrorists will have something to celebrate too: The expiration of 16 key provisions of the USA Patriot Act. ...

There's still a chance a deal can be reached to extend the anti-terrorism law before the deadline, but don't count on it. That would require an act of responsibility from Senate Democrats -- something that's in short supply these days on matters of national security. Instead, this Senate minority of 42 Democrats and four Republicans prefers to impose its will on bipartisan majorities by refusing to let the renewal of the Patriot Act come to the Senate floor for a vote. President Bush called the filibuster "inexcusable" this week, and most Republicans seem ready to fight this one out for a change. They ought to.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113513305466728143.html?mod=opinion_main

Fran Townsend: Pass the PATRIOT Act
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Frances Fragos Townsend, calls on Republicans and Democrats alike to place the protection of Americans before politics and reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act.

The USA Patriot Act is much more than an abstract political debate in Washington. It is an essential part of the United States' effort to prosecute the War on Terror in tangible, measurable ways. The House of Representatives has voted to reauthorize the provisions of the Patriot Act that are leading to real results in the war, but unfortunately, on Friday, a minority of senators blocked the reauthorization.

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_3327614

I support the extension of the Patriot Act for one simple reason: Americans must use every legal and constitutional tool in their arsenal to fight terrorism and protect their lives and liberties. The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, made clear that the old rules no longer work. The terrorists who attacked us seek to kill innocent men, women and children of all races and creeds. They seek to destroy our liberties.

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On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists inspired by hatred murdered nearly 3,000 innocent Americans. In response Congress overwhelmingly passed the USA Patriot Act. Now, before it adjourns for the year, Congress must act again to reauthorize this critical piece of legislation. Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations are at work: Their stated goal is to kill Americans, cripple our economy and demoralize our people.

The bill to be considered this week is a good one. It equips law enforcement with the tools needed to fight terrorists, and it also includes new civil liberties protections. Members of Congress should put aside the rhetoric and focus on the facts surrounding this vital legislation.

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