Posted on 12/22/2005 11:55:20 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner threatened Thursday to block passage of legislation renewing the anti-terror Patriot Act, Republican officials disclosed.
The Senate passed a six-month extension Wednesday night, and House approval is required by Dec. 31 to keep in place the enhanced law enforcement powers first enacted in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Sensenbrenner's spokesman declined comment.
The Senate action effectively sidetracked a comprehensive House-Senate compromise that would have extended most of the existing law indefinitely, making several changes in the meantime. It was blocked by a Democrat-led filibuster in the Senate, in which critics claimed the legislation failed to protect the civil liberties of innocent Americans.
The maneuvering occurred as Bush left Washington believing that Congress would not let the law expire.
"It appears to me that the Congress understands we got to keep the Patriot Act in place, that we're still under threat," Bush said just before boarding a helicopter headed to Camp David, Md., for a long holiday weekend with his family.
The Republican officials demanded anonymity because Sensenbrenner had not revealed his intentions publicly. The Senate-passed six-month extension would pass the House only with no opposition. Any change to it would require a new Senate vote.
Ooooooooh.......
Mebbe it's not over yet.
It's dead, I tell ya, Dead!
Let the House refix it and force those democrats to stay until New Years - but, then again, we'd have to have Republican leaders who would actually stand up for the bill and I know we lack the resolution to do anything!
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btw, Did anyone actually see a filibuster? I didn't.
I saw a debacle, but certainly not a filibuster.
Thats what politics does to those who live and thrive on politics alone.
They say things that can't be taken as a threat to anyone.
Thus they wind up saying things like "I was for it before I was against it" and wind up depending on politics for an agenda to cover their arses.
Does this matter to any of you?
Please vote against the current version of the PATRIOT reauthorization
bill (HR 3199) because it would extend provisions which the FBI claims
would allow it to seize 4473 forms, without the approval of any judge.
This runs contrary to the protections that were gained in the Firearms
Owners Protection Act of 1986, when it prohibited the establishment of any
registration system with respect to firearms [see 18 USC 926(a)(3)]. It
is also significant to note that the law bans inspections of gun dealers
records, excluding four, narrowly tailored exceptions [18 USC
923(g)(1)(b)]. Those exceptions are absent with regard to the FBI's
current practice of soliciting 4473 forms under the PATRIOT Act.
You are certainly familiar with the rule of construction that deems more
recent legislation to trump older legislation when there is a clear
conflict between the two. The protections that were won during the
McClure-Volkmer battle took years to achieve, and it would be a shame to
see those protections superseded by another enactment of gun control --
all in the vain hope that gun owners' purchase records can somehow help
authorities curb terrorism. (Gun registration certainly hasn't worked to
curb crime in any of the states or localities that have implemented it.)
It is imperative that H.R. 3199 be amended to protect gun owner rights.
Please vote against cloture on H.R. 3199, unless gun records are removed
from the records which can be demanded under Section 215 of the PATRIOT
Act -- a move which would return the McClure-Volkmer protections as the
operative law concerning when and where gun records can be demanded.
Filibuster - More Scarier to republican politicians than a terrorist nuclear bomb. The mere mention of the word sends republicans running for cover.
When was the last real filibuster?
James Sensenbrenner is my congress critter. He is the guy who shut down the hearing some months ago that hacked off Nadler the whale.
No matter what the concern is, its the same. You must see that picture.
For an article exposing Sensenbrenner's attack, click here.
HF
"Does this matter to any of you?
Please vote against the current version of the PATRIOT reauthorization
bill (HR 3199) because it would extend provisions which the FBI claims
would allow it to seize 4473 forms, without the approval of any judge. ....."
But, 9/11 changed everything.
I'd gladly give up some civil rights to allow the President to stop terrorists.
The President is fully within his powers to do this.
[/bushbot mode]
FYI Ping
I'm really tired of the GOP cowering to the Dems. I want to play Hardball! I want my party, the MAJORITY party, to show some sack and tell Reid, Pelosi, Boxer, Schumer et. al...to STFU and take it like the minority party.
Filibuster - More Scarier to republican politicians than a terrorist nuclear bomb. The mere mention of the word sends republicans running for cover.
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That, and the wrath of the MSM...God forbid.
Thanks for the link.
"Does this matter to any of you?"
Irony doesn't work on bushbots. Ask them rhetorically - Would you want Hillary to have these powers? - you'll get blank stares.
It funny to see so many here defending the Janet Reno justice department's wishlist. I fthe "patriot" act is not allowed to expire, it is a major blow to the integrity of our Bill of Rights.
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