Benjamin Gilman: “Today we have been debating an important bill. Our deliberations this afternoon will provide modernized surveillance…”

“Today we have been debating an important bill. Our deliberations this afternoon will provide modernized surveillance capabilities aimed at capturing terrorists which will ensure that new technology can be executed in multiple jurisdictions anywhere in the United States. The Patriot Act will expand the definitions related to terrorist organizations; provide the seamless flow of information between law enforcement and intelligence agencies; strengthen our northern border by tripling the number of Border patrol personnel in each state along this border; and most importantly will permit the courts to issue a generic order, which will still identify a target, yet permit the court order to be presented to a carrier, landlord or custodian and allow that the surveillance may be undertaken as soon as technically feasible on any new location. There has been extensive discussion on the floor with regard to these new surveillance provisions by those fearing the abdication of our civil rights protections with the passage of this Act. While, I am confident that nobody in this chamber is interested in either deteriorating our civil rights or failing to provide our nation with the necessary law enforcement and intelligence tools to defeat terrorism, I believe it is important to bear in mind the times in which we currently find ourselves. A month and one day ago, we were barbarically and cowardly attacked by terrorists.”