Tom Udall: “I rise to speak out today on the leadership's abuse of power on the PATRIOT Act. We bring the PATRIOT Act to the floor…”

“I rise to speak out today on the leadership's abuse of power on the PATRIOT Act. We bring the PATRIOT Act to the floor today under a closed process. Many amendments, good solid bipartisan amendments, were denied. I offered two amendments with broad support. They were denied. The first created a strengthened civil liberties board called for by the 9/11 Commission. This board would protect our constitutional freedoms. The second, the Right to Read Act, would protect library patrons from arbitrary searches. It would bring the judiciary into the equation to protect our freedoms. I believe that we can bring terrorists to justice and still protect our constitutional freedoms, but we will not do it under this process today. This process of not allowing debate on an amendment is deeply flawed. It runs roughshod over our rights. The leadership should be ashamed. ____________________”