AALL ACTION ALERT

September 30, 2004

Stop Kyl "Patriot II" Amendment (#3724) to S. 2679
Calls Urgently Needed to All Members of the Senate
BACKGROUND:
Sen. Kyl (R-AZ) is offering an amendment to S. 2679, the "Anti-terrorism Investigative Tools Improvement Act of 2004," that contains the largest expansion of federal powers since the USA Patriot Act, with very serious consequences for civil liberties. S. 2679 is the legislation implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. The Kyl amendment contains matters that are far outside the scope of the Commission's recommendations and should be held off until next year when the debate on the USA Patriot Act occurs. This bill is too important to be bogged down with contentious amendments such as the one being offered by Sen. Kyl.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED:
S. 2679 has been placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar but we are unsure how quickly it will be voted on, thus calls are urgently needed as soon as possible. Please contact your Senators immediately through the U.S. Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) and urge them to vote "No" on the Kyl amendment (#3724).

It would remove critical checks and balances from the government's powers in a host of areas. AALL is most concerned that it would:

  1. weaken Americans' right to privacy in their library, medical and other personal records by eliminating the already inadequate safeguard in the USA Patriot Act of an order by a secret court (Sec. 105); and,

  2. in criminal cases, compel federal judges to hear, in secret, government requests for permission to delete classified information from documents to be provided to the defense (Sec. 108).

Thank you very much!
Mary Alice Baish