Tom Udall: “almost four years ago, our country was traumatized by the vicious attacks on September 11, 2001. We will never forget…”

“almost four years ago, our country was traumatized by the vicious attacks on September 11, 2001. We will never forget that day or the days immediately following the attacks, and once it became clear who was behind the attacks and what their motives were, we realized that we were facing a threat unlike any other. In the years since, we have seen these senseless attacks continue on our allies across the world. As a former state attorney general, I fully understand the need to balance the security of our nation and the liberties of our citizens. The gravity of the situation is not lost on me, or any of my colleagues in this chamber. On October 24, 2001, a justified sense of urgency resulted in an unjustifiably rushed vote on the PATRIOT Act. Many members had outstanding questions about the bill, which the Rules Committee put in place of another bill that had been passed by the Judiciary Committee. In the years since that bill passed, over 374 cities, towns, and counties in 43 states have passed resolutions expressing concern about the PATRIOT Act or an extension of it. In New Mexico alone, ten cities and four counties have passed resolutions. I have received over 3,000 letters and emails from constituents on this issue, and I have met with hundreds of constituents in my district to discuss the PATRIOT Act in town hall meetings. I have found that Americans of all stripes share my concerns about the Act. The long awaited House floor debate of this bill has arrived.…”