Patriot Act Reauthorization On Hold

On Friday, December 16, 2005, the Senate blocked reauthorization of key provisions of the Patriot Act. According to ABC News, "much of the controversy involved powers granted to law enforcement agencies to gain access to a wealth of personal data, including library and medical records, in secret, as part of investigations into suspected terrorist activity." In a recently-revealed email message, the FBI is quoted as saying, "While radical militant librarians kick us around, true terrorists benefit from OIPR’s failure to let us use the tools given to us.” More information on this and other issues of concern to librarians can be found in Library Journal.