Ask your representative to co-sponsor the USA Patriot Amendments Act of 2009

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Dear ACLU Supporter,

We've got another big chance to end Patriot Act abuses--but

we have to act fast.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had the opportunity to pass legislation

to rein in a bill that has become a symbol of out-of-control

government invasions of your privacy. They failed--approving a

bill that does little to curtail the sweeping powers embedded in the

Patriot Act.

That's why we must do everything we can to ensure that the House

of Representatives passes a stronger bill--one that can lead to

genuine reform of the deeply-flawed Patriot Act.

Your Representative sits on either the influential House Judiciary or

Intelligence Committee -- the committees that will shape this bill as

early as next week. That's why we need you to take action today.

Act right now. Ask your representative to co-sponsor the USA Patriot

Amendments Act of 2009.

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=HVdGKK0W6CZsJfKkm0Vn7g..

Three Patriot Act provisions are set to expire on December 31, 2009.

We have to seize this chance to demand that Congress put an end to the

government's unchecked spying powers and ensure that innocent

Americans' private information will remain just

that--private.

The USA Patriot Amendments Act of 2009 protects constitutional speech

and privacy rights by:

* Amending the national security letter statute to ensure that

the government obtains financial, communication and credit

records only of people believed to be terrorists or spies;

* Requiring the government to convince a court that a national

security gag order is necessary;

* Terminating the "lone wolf" authority that permits

the government to spy on people who are not part of a terrorist

organization; and

* Ensuring that the so-called "library records

provision" does not authorize collection of library and

bookstore records if they contain information on the patron.

As you can imagine, the bill is not perfect. It leaves the Patriot

Act's so-called "material support" provision intact,

permitting prosecution of those who work with or for charities that

give humanitarian aid in good faith to war-torn countries.

We're asking Members of Congress to add a provision that would

limit prosecution to those who actually intend to support

terrorist-oriented actions.

Please ask your representative to co-sponsor the USA Patriot

Amendments Act of 2009.

http://action.aclu.org/site/R?i=Fimwssj-ki3XhlD9jP9VEQ..

As an ACLU lobbyist, I've worked to end the dangerous ways that

the Patriot Act curtails your freedom for more than six years. I can

say first-hand how much your emails matter if we are to pass genuine

Patriot Act reforms.

Thanks so much for taking action today.

Sincerely,

Michelle Richardson

Legislative Counsel

American Civil Liberties Union

gotta go