FC: Booksellers ask for support with amendment to USA Patriot Act

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Tue Jul 22 2003 - 21:27:13 PDT

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    From: "Chris Finan" <chrisat_private>
    To: "Declan McCullagh" <declanat_private>
    Subject: Urgent action needed to pass Sanders-Otter-Conyers amendment
    Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 11:56:36 -0400
    
    Declan,
    
    	The amendment to cut off Justice Department funding for bookstore and
    library searches under Section 215 may be on the floor of the House as early
    as today.  I'm attaching an update of the action alert that we sent out last
    week.  Any help you can give in getting this around would be greatly
    appreciated.
    
    	Thanks!
    
    Chris
    
    To: 	Book and library community
    
    From:	Chris Finan, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
    
    Re:	Sanders-Otter-Conyers amendment
    
    	The U.S. House of Representatives will vote as early as today 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 the measure as an amendment to the
    Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary Appropriations Bill of 2004.  It is
    co-sponsored by John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-ID).
    
    	The House has never voted on a proposal to limit the Patriot Act.  The vote
    is expected to be very close.  It is urgent that you contact your Congress
    member.  Because we don't know precisely when the measure will be brought up
    on the floor, it is also critical to reach your representative as early in
    the week as possible.
    
    	For maximum effectiveness, call your representative's Washington office and
    tell whoever answers the phone that you are calling to urge their boss to
    vote "yes" on "the Sanders-Otter-Conyers amendment to the Commerce, Justice
    and State appropriations bill."  (There is no bill number yet.)  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
    search aid on the House Web site, http://www.house.gov.  You can also call
    ABFFE at (212) 587-4025 between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. (EDT).
    
    	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, 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 129 House members.
    
    	However, the House leadership is refusing to hold a hearing on H.R. 1157.
    The Sanders-Otter-Conyers amendment will give supporters of the bill an
    opportunity to achieve its purpose through the appropriations process.
    
    	Thank you for acting quickly!
    
    
    
    ________________________________
    Chris Finan, president
    American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE)
    139 Fulton St., Suite 302
    New York, NY 10038
    telephone, (212) 587-4025
    fax, (212) 587-2436
    http://www.abffe.com
    
    
    
    
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