what is the patriotic act?

Question

can i just have a simple explanation of what the patriotic act is???

Answer 1

SHORT ANSWER -- it is an attempt to equip the government with a set of tools to combat terrorism and prevent future terrorist attacks. These "tools" range from provisions to cut off funding to terrorist groups, and strengthening border security to efforts to improve the gathering of good intelligence about possible terrorist plans, and make sure this information is shared with those in government who need it to combat terrorism

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Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation and fear-mongering about this legislation. (That appears to include some of the contributions to the wikipedia article quoted in one answer.)

The only way to really get a fair view of this Act is to take a look at the actual legislation, esp. at the parts that have caused the most complaints.

Of course, the full package is extremely long and can be overwhelming. And though I will try to explain some key points, I imagine some will dismiss my view as biased.. so I invite you to at least check out the SUMMARY of the bill at the link below. I'm also excerpting the Section headers from that summary, omitting only explanations of the sections that are the least debated. (I also omitted anything in the last --"Miscellaneous"- section, because it is SO diverse. It's also not really debated.)

This should give you a briefer overview, but WITHOUT the bias of MY view.. OR a contrary view. But please feel free to check out the fuller explanation at the summary link, and to go from there, as needed, to the legislation itself.

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Here, for what it's worth, is my own summary of the concerns the bill sought to address.

Note that I'm only treating the ORIGINAL 2001 legislation here, though the reauthorization of 2006 in large part follows it. (That, by the way, puts the lie to the "passed it too quick and gave up all our right" argument.)

The Act falls into TEN parts. Issues addressed:

* FUNDING - esp. Titles I, V, VI, which included funds for rewarding assistance and provided for the families of those killed on 9/11.

* INFORMATION SHARING -- Another concern is assuring information sharing WITHIN the government (since a major pre-9/11 problem was that certain laws and procedures discouraged or even forbade sharing between agencies of info that could have helped foil the plot) --see esp. Title VII. And other provisions to try to make sure information was effectively analyzed and properly disseminated (to those who could DO something with it!) - Title IX, parts of Title II

* CUT OFF TERRORISTS' FUNDS esp. by freezing accounts available to terrorists and requiring banks, under certain conditions, to provide fuller disclosure to the government of suspicious activities - Title III

* BORDER SECURITY - attempted to strengthen border security (including stronger immigration restrictions) - Title IV

* STRENGTHENING FEDERAL LAWS against TERRORIST ACTS - Title VIII

* INCREASING ABILITY TO CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE OF TERROR SUSPECTS - esp. Title II.

This last point is an important one to understand. In fact, there is VERY little debate about NINE of sections. Nearly all the concern has been about these provisions. So if you want to know what that is all about, take a good look at the summary of Title II (see below, then the fuller summary, then the full bill as you need to). This is the section some claim threatens the civil liberties of ordinary, law-abiding citizens. I absolutely disagree... and I hope you do as well when you look at it. The strongest things it does is simply allow --with many safeguards (e.g., you cannot willy- nilly dispense with warrants; only in emergencies)-- what had LONG been standard practice in fighting organized crime.



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If you want to go further, here is an abbreviated form of the summary:

TITLE I: Enhancing Domestic Security Against Terrorism
- Establishes in the Treasury the Counterterrorism Fund.

TITLE II: Enhanced Surveillance Procedures
- Amends the Federal criminal code to authorize the interception of wire, oral, and electronic communications for the production of evidence of: (1) specified chemical weapons or terrorism offenses; and (2) computer fraud and abuse.

TITLE III: International Money Laundering Abatement and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act of 2001 - International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001
- Sunsets this Act after the first day of FY 2005 if Congress enacts a specified joint resolution to that effect.

Subtitle A: International Counter Money Laundering and Related Measures
- Amends Federal law governing monetary transactions to prescribe procedural guidelines under which the Secretary of the Treasury (the Secretary) may require domestic financial institutions and agencies to take specified measures if the Secretary finds that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that jurisdictions, financial institutions, types of accounts, or transactions operating outside or within the United States, are of primary money laundering concern. Includes mandatory disclosure of specified information relating to certain correspondent accounts.

Subtitle B: Bank Secrecy Act Amendments and Related Improvements
- Amends Federal law known as the Bank Secrecy Act to revise requirements for civil liability immunity for voluntary financial institution disclosure of suspicious activities. Authorizes the inclusion of suspicions of illegal activity in written employment references.

TITLE IV: Protecting the Border

Subtitle A: Protecting the Northern Border
- Authorizes the Attorney General to waive certain Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) personnel caps with respect to ensuring security needs on the Northern border.

Subtitle B: Enhanced Immigration Provisions
- Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to broaden the scope of aliens ineligible for admission or deportable due to terrorist activities

TITLE V: Removing Obstacles to Investigating Terrorism
- Authorizes the Attorney General to pay rewards from available funds pursuant to public advertisements for assistance to DOJ to combat terrorism

TITLE VI: Providing for Victims of Terrorism, Public Safety Officers, and Their Families
Subtitle A: Aid to Families of Public Safety Officers
Subtitle B: Amendments to the Victims of Crime Act of 1984
Subtitle C: Preservation of Immigration Benefits for Victims of Terrorism

TITLE VII: Increased Information Sharing for Critical Infrastructure Protection
- Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to extend Bureau of Justice Assistance regional information sharing system grants to systems that enhance the investigation and prosecution abilities of participating Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies in addressing multi-jurisdictional terrorist conspiracies and activities. Authorizes appropriations.

TITLE VIII: Strengthening the Criminal Laws Against Terrorism
- Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit specific terrorist acts or otherwise destructive, disruptive, or violent acts against mass transportation vehicles, ferries, providers, employees, passengers, or operating systems.

TITLE IX: Improved Intelligence
- Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to require the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) to establish requirements and priorities for foreign intelligence collected under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 and to provide assistance to the Attorney General (AG) to ensure that information derived from electronic surveillance or physical searches is disseminated for efficient and effective foreign intelligence purposes. Requires the inclusion of international terrorist activities within the scope of foreign intelligence under such Act.

TITLE X: Miscellaneous

Answer 2

The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-56), known as the USA PATRIOT Act or simply the Patriot Act, is an Act of Congress which U.S. President George W. Bush signed into law on October 26, 2001.

Passed with minimal debate only 43 days after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Act dramatically and many say unconstitutionally expanded the authority of U.S. law enforcement agencies for the stated purpose of fighting terrorism in the United States and abroad. Among its provisions, the act increased the ability of law enforcement agencies to search telephone and e-mail communications and medical, financial, and other records; eased restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering within the United States; expanded the Secretary of the Treasury’s authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities; and enhanced the discretion of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include "domestic terrorism", thus enlarging the number of activities to which the Patriot Act’s expanded law enforcement powers can be applied.

Answer 3

It is not a communist act obviously. It probably will be once H. Clinton becomes the President. It is not a terrorist act on America, because it does not kill the US citizens nor damage the US property. It is an act to prevent any terrorist plots against the US citizens in the US. Does it make life a bit more inconvenient? Yes. However, is it a fair sacrifice for the safer living environment in the current world? Yes. Remember, freedom is not free. It comes with a big price tag and lots of responsibilities. For those of you who want "government out of my life", please feel free to move out of this country. You can't expect to enjoy everything that government provides, and then ask the government to "get out of your life".

Answer 4

In my opinion even worse than the fact that the Patriot Act reduces our freedom and strengthens the government is the fact that it is so vague. If you actually read it, something that virtually none of the people who voted it into law did, the language is really general which is something that is not good in a law. I think that laws should be very specifically worded so that we know what they do and how.

Answer 5

It's called the Patriot Act. It's a stupid spin-name meant to put a certain impression into your head that your government wants you to have. Basically It's the law where they get to spy on you without a warrant.

It was enacted as an emergency "temporarily" after 9/11, and then it got extended
.

Answer 6

PatriotAct - a law to reduce the freedom of the American people by promising them more security.
In other words a sort of cage