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12/16/2005
HARKIN: SECRET GOVERNMENT EVESDROPPING WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING SHOCKING, MUST BE PREVENTED
“Earlier this year, I supported a Senate bill to reauthorize the
Patriot Act. That bill made modest, but important changes to the
original law to restore oversight to the very broad surveillance powers
granted to the government. Unfortunately, all of these provisions were
stripped from the final bill the Senate voted on today.
“Just this morning, the New York Times reported that the government has
secretly eavesdropped on the international phone and e-mail
conversations of perhaps thousands of people inside the United States
without their knowledge, without evidence of criminal or terrorist
activity, and without the consent of a judge. This abuse of our
Constitutional rights should shock us all, and must be prevented.
“Judicial review is a critical restraint on unchecked power and an
important check on the very broad surveillance powers that the
government may use. In view of these new revelations, I am more
committed than ever to seeing more judicial oversight included in a
Patriot Act reauthorization. We should extend the original Patriot Act
for an additional three months while we continue to work for these
important changes.”
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