Provides an easytounderstand description of the usa patriot act and how it amended preexisting laws dealing with terrorism, executive authority, financing, and surveillance and investigatory powers. The patriot act gives unconstitutionality a new meaning, and makes a mockery of everything our found. Congress passed the patriot act, with very little debate, just 45 days after 911, when emotions ran high and lawmakers were under pressure to do something, pass anything, in response. The patriot act is an act of congress that was introduced on october 26, 2001. Patriot act, pros and cons the patriot act was signed into law by president bush in response to the tragedy of the events of 911. Cons and pros,2008the patriot act increased the penalties for those who commit terrorists crimes. Other businesses that are affected by the usa patriot act are libraries, creditors and any business that can provide information about a person. Ultimately, the patriot act is an everchanging collection of powers and regulations that must be closely guarded and preserved in its intended form if it is to be effective without being oppressive. The patriot act enforces three technique of monitoring private meetings and conversation among terrorists. While this legislation directly contradicts the fourth amendment, it has saved many lives. Pros the usa patriot act is an act of congress that was signed into law by president george w.
The patriot act, originally passed in october 2001, is one of the most controversial topics regarding american citizens privacy and security. Constitution into the congressional record, the republican led house of representatives have passed a temporary extension of the patriot act, a controversial law that allows. Usa patriot act pros and cons essay by mattsmomma, college, undergraduate, a, march 2009 download word file, 3 pages download word file, 3 pages 3. Some members of congress had less than an hour to read the extensive changes in. Checks and balances at work the act is separated into numerous different titles, which fall under the jurisdiction of different branches of government. Last week, the house and senate voted to extend by five weeks the broad antiterrorism bill known as the usa patriot act, which expands the governments surveillance and investigative powers. The act makes it so that the government doesnt have to disclose the identity of anyone that is being detained. Passed after the 911 terrorist attacks, the patriot act has created new rules on surveillance and national security in the u.
Pros and cons on the patriot act essay 730 words bartleby. Government collection of private information congressional research service summary this is an abbreviated version of an earlier report, crs report r40980, government collection of private information. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism, thus enlarging the number of activities to which the patriot acts expanded law enforcement powers can be applied. I think that people who support their countrys policies, no matter w. Bush in october 2001, that significantly expanded the search and surveillance powers of. This was dramatically expanded after the enactment of the usa patriot act as a law weeks after that fateful attack on the world trade center on september 11, 2001. It streamlines the surveillance process and makes it easier for the government to identify terrorists. Section by section analysis of the usa patriot act. Sixteen surveillance provisions are set to expire on dec.
Security agencies or law enforcement officers can access personal information that shouldnt be otherwise available, they can tap into the phones, computers and all kinds of technology products to study the behaviors, movements and everything there is to know about ordinary citizens and one is basically under constant. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the patriot act. Before you start choosing a specific partnership type, take a look at general pros and cons of a business partnership. It is an acronym for uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism. Citizens, even without the threat of terrorist activity. The patriot act is a more than 300page document passed by the u. The pros and cons of the patriot act 70 words cram. Usa patriot act, also called patriot act, in full uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001, u. Pros of the usa patriot act agents and investigators are able to track the communication between potential terrorists.
Conservatives seem to subscribe more to the my country, right or wrong point of view. The lone wolf provision of the patriot act allows the government to track nonu. These allow investigators to pursue needed evidence of terrorism for verification. This ensures that there is balance in the power that the patriot acts allows. While the results have been important, in passing the patriot act, congress. Some parts of the usa patriot act have been changed such as mass data collection. Or, is it simply a wellregulated set of tools to allow federal agents to track down terrorists in a fastmoving age of cyber communications. Ongoing legal battles about its appropriateness attest to the recognition by many of its awesome power. President barack obama has signed into law the usa freedom act, which extends three expiring surveillance provisions of the 911era usa patriot act.
Refer to the following link to view this law in its entirety, usa patriot act pdf webgate. Advantages and disadvantages of the patriot act samsung. I dont believe there are any pros about the patriot act, unless one doesnt value personal freedom and civil liberties. This report explains the issues that warranted this law, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the patriot act of 2001. The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of the hill. Pros and cons of the patriot act by jessica marro on prezi.
The usa patriot act is relevant but discriminatory to the rights of american. The advantages and disadvantage of the usa patriot act is an overview of the sacrifice of american rights versus terrorism. Cons and pros,2008 this act also tackles the issue of terrorism financing which closes the gap concerning financing through informal money transfer networks rather than traditional financial institutions the patriot act. The official title of the usa patriot act is uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism usa patriot act of 2001. The act extends federal crime codes and any forfeiture acquired from terrorist activities 2006. However, it has serious faults that should be addressed. The patriot act updated the law to reflect new technologies and new threats.
Here are the pros and cons of the patriot act to consider. Before you take your payroll program digital, here are some pros and cons of paperless payroll. Keeping electronic payroll records may be faster than keeping hard copy files. While each type has specific pros and cons, there are partnership pros and cons that cover them all. It strengthened us measures to detect, prevent, and prosecute the financing of terrorism. The us patriot act less than a month after making a show of reading the u. Despite the good intentions of the existence of this act, it definitely had negative impacts as well. Before the act was made into law, surveillance on persons of interest consisted of different steps such as getting separate authorizations to wiretap phones. The patriot act is one response allowing the united states to wage war against an enemy that attacked the country in disguise, while remaining true to the countrys founding ethics of freedom, equality, privacy, and human dignity. Uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001. The patriot act is officially known as the usa patriot act.
Section 215 the provisions of fisa have been codified under the united states code, and are commonly cited as provisions of the u. Keywords united states, september 11 2001, world trade center, terrorists, law enforcement. Heres why the patriot act is so controversial history. Both discuss the legal background associated with the sunset of various. You do not have to worry about paper records getting lost or damaged.
Essay by tomei, college, undergraduate, b, june 2006. The usa patriot act was passed by congress as a response to the terrorist attacks of september 11, 2001. To have a good opinion on our end, let us take a closer look at the pros and cons of the patriot act. The extension, which prevented the measure from expiring at years end, was. The pros and cons of the patriot act show us that as our access to data changes, we must also be willing to update our privacy laws and definitions. Key senators have reached a deal with the white house that allays the civil liberties concerns of some critics of the law. It is observed that the act has made surveillance much easier, allowing organizations and businesses to have a clear division of labor between individuals who have the ability to investigate terrorist activities. Background and issues related to the usa patriot act reauthorization. Hastily passed 45 days after 911 in the name of national security, the patriot act was the first of many changes to surveillance laws that made it easier for the government to spy on ordinary americans by expanding the authority to monitor phone and email communications, collect bank and credit reporting records, and track the activity of innocent americans on the internet. The bill is an attempt to rein in the intelligence communitys collect it all strategy, and passing usa freedom is a first, small step in the right direction. The usa patriot act, which stands for uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism, was signed into effect by president george w. An fbi agent can apply for a foreign intelligence surveillance act fisa from a court and get the right to enter a business and collect information on individuals.
Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law by president george w. Here are the advantages of having a business partner. The act came into effect in about six weeks following the attacks at the world trade center. The patriot act has elevated the investigatory power of our nations government to a record high. Pros and cons of patriot act the house of representatives passed the uniting and strengthening america by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act of 2001 on october 24, 2001. It gave new ways to monitor terrorist activity in the country. The patriot act was designed to deter and punish terrorist acts in the united states and around the world and. The act brought the law up to date with current technology, so we no longer have to fight a digitalage battle with antique weaponslegal authorities leftover from the era of rotary telephones. A wary patriotism is better than jingoistic patriotism.
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