Congress to Vote on Freedom to Read Amendment

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week on an amendment that cuts off Justice Department funding for searches of bookstore and library records under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act. Congressman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will offer a Freedom to Read Amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Bill of 2005. The amendment is co-sponsored by Ron Paul (R-TX), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), C.L. “Butch” Otter (R-ID), and Jerry Nadler (D-NY).

"The prospects for victory appear good," says Chris Finan of the Campaign for Reader Privacy. "Last year, over 300 House members voted to bar the Justice Department from using its appropriation to implement another controversial provision of the PATRIOT Act, 'sneak and peak' searches. Had Bernie not run into technical problems, he would have offered the Freedom to Read Amendment then, and it probably would have passed."

Finan continues, "That said, we can’t win unless we generate a lot of telephone calls, faxes and e-mails to House members between now and Wednesday or Thursday when the CJS bill will be on the floor for a vote. It doesn’t help matters that we have less than a week to get out the word and that the Fourth of July weekend will shorten our time even more."

Finan adds, "We're asking that supporters please call their House member’s Washington office TODAY and tell whoever answers the phone that you urge their boss to vote 'yes' on 'the Sanders-Paul-Conyers-Otter-Nadler Freedom to Read Amendment to the Commerce, Justice and State appropriations bill.' Then, immediately follow up by faxing a note containing the same message on your letterhead."

If you need contact information for your Congress member, you can use the “Contact Congress” search aid on the Campaign for Reader Privacy Web site, http://www.readerprivacy.org, or go directly to the U.S. House of Representatives Web site, http://www.house.gov/writerep.

Finan says, "Section 215 has created a dangerous chilling effect on First Amendment rights by giving the FBI the power to secretly search the bookstore and library records of anyone it believes may have information relevant to a foreign intelligence investigation. In March 2003, Sanders introduced the Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157) to restore the protections for customer privacy eliminated by the Patriot Act. The bill has gained wide support and is co-sponsored by 145 House members in both parties. However, the House leadership is refusing to hold a hearing on H.R. 1157. The Freedom to Read Amendment will give supporters of the bill an opportunity to achieve its purpose through the appropriations process."

He concludes, "Please help us spread the word about the importance of calling Congress today!"