May 8, 2003
Bravo Bernie!
Independent Vermont Representative Bernie Sanders has an op-ed piece in today's Los Angeles Times, Pulling FBI's Nose Out of Your Books. He has a number of good things to say but what really lights my fire is that he has apparently introduced the "Freedom to Read Protection Act." This bill, as I understand it, is intended to prevent the FBI from being able to force libraries and bookstores to produce their records of customers' or patrons' activity without a court order and without the possibility of legislative review. The formal title of the bill is "To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to exempt bookstores and libraries from orders requiring the production of any tangible things for certain foreign intelligence investigations, and for other purposes." It is H.R. 1157 and has no fewer than 81 cosponsors (among whom, I'm sorry to say, my representative, Jane Harman, is not to be found).
Sanders was one of the very few to vote against the so-called "USA PATRIOT" Act. This new legislation should not be necessary, since that Act should never have been introduced, much less passed, but since it was, this bill is a step in the direction of fixing things. A small step, but a step.
Write your Representative and urge them to support this bill.