John Rice Carter: “after 9/11, my fellow lawmakers wanted to make sure that the PATRIOT Act would protect Americans without trampling the…”

“after 9/11, my fellow lawmakers wanted to make sure that the PATRIOT Act would protect Americans without trampling the civil rights that we cherish in this Nation. Mr. Speaker, today, 4 years later, the verdict is in. The PATRIOT Act works and is helping defeat terrorism. Those of us who thought the threat of terrorism receded can only look at Great Britain to know that this is not the case. Complacency allows waves of terror to come crashing over free nations. The attacks on London show that the war on terror is not over nor is it confined to a specific location. Securing our homeland is only one facet of the war. Spreading democracy in the savage lands where terrorism propagates is another. The PATRIOT Act gives us enforcement tools that keep America safe. The PATRIOT Act has removed major legal barriers that prevented law enforcement agencies from coordinating their work. It has also allowed law enforcement to use surveillance against terror-related activities and allowed the issuance of nationwide search warrants. The PATRIOT Act is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. We cannot allow these terrorists to gain momentum in this fight. ____________________”