SENATE ENDORSES PATRIOT ACT 'REVIEW'
Joshua L. Weinstein, Portland Press Herald, 3/24/04
http://www.pressherald.com/news/statehouse/040324patriot.shtml
The Legislature passed a resolution raising concerns about the USA Patriot
Act Tuesday, making Maine the fourth state to officially question the
anti-terrorism law.
Maine's resolution - passed by the House without a roll call vote on Friday
and by the Senate on a largely party-line vote of 18-15 Tuesday - asks
Congress to review the act and ensure that future laws "do not infringe on
Americans' civil rights and liberties."
It also asks Maine's congressional delegation to work to repeal sections of
the act that infringe "upon fundamental rights and liberties as recognized
in the United States Constitution."
The resolution is nonbinding and does not require the governor's signature.
The Patriot Act , which Congress passed only weeks after the terrorist
attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, comes up for renewal in 2005. President Bush has
said he would like Congress to renew the law without changes.
U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, a Democrat who represents Maine's 1st Congressional
District, said that the "sunset provision" of the law - a mechanism that
makes the law expire if it is not renewed - was key in passing it...
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Posted by shereen at March 31, 2004 04:55 PM