CDT Calls on Internet Activists to Urge Support for Feingold Amendments to Anti-Terrorism Bills

[Perry E. Metzger]

Forwarded from Interesting People. Not strictly about cryptography, but...


>Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 17:31:05 -0400
>From: Ari Schwartz <ari at cdt.org>
>To: update at cdt.org
>Subject: CDT Calls on Internet Activists to Urge Support for Feingold 
>Amendments to Anti-Terrorism Bills
>Sender: owner-cdt-adv at cdt.org
>Reply-To: Ari Schwartz <ari at cdt.org>
>
>
>CDT has sent out a message to Internet activists across the country asking
>them to urge their Senators to support Senator Russell Feingold's (D-WI)
>amendments to the Senate Anti-Terrorism Bill.
>
>Sen. Feingold is planning to offer amendments Thursday morning that will
>address some of the privacy concerns raised by the pending bills, by
>requiring government surveillance to be more focused and subject to
>meaningful judicial controls.
>
>The message sent to CDT's lists of activists; is available below; and is
>posted on the CDT site.
>
>
>-----
>
>Dear Activist:
>
>Things are moving very fast on Capitol Hill.  Legislation to expand
>government surveillance will be considered by the Senate (and maybe the
>House) on Thursday, October 11.
>
>In the Senate, Sen. Russ Feingold is planning to offer amendments Thursday
>morning that will address some of the privacy concerns raised by the pending
>bills, by requiring government surveillance to be more focused and subject
>to meaningful judicial controls.  CDT supports the Feingold amendments.
>
>You can make a difference. Call your Senators in Washington right away and
>let them know that you think civil liberties should be part of the balance
>as we move forward to protect our country from terrorism.  Urge them to
>support the Feingold privacy amendments
>
>BACKGROUND
>
>Following the horrendous attacks of September 11, it is clear that US anti-
>terrorism efforts need to be improved.  Unfortunately, there has been little
>time to develop a response that is effective and does not unnecessarily
>infringe civil liberties.  Legislation moving quickly through Congress
>involves some fundamental changes in the surveillance laws.  Most of the
>changes are not limited to terrorism cases, but concern all crimes and all
>intelligence investigations.
>
>Among other things, the bills would:
>
>* Allow FBI to seize any and all stored records (medical records,
>educational records, stored e-mail) in intelligence cases without a search
>warrant.
>
>* Allow computer system operators to authorize government surveillance
>without a court order (the computer trespasser provision).
>
>* Authorize roving taps in intelligence cases without clear guidelines,
>allowing government to monitor pay phones, library computers, cell phones
>without first determining who is using the device.
>
>* Allow secret searches (searches without notice at the time of the search)
>in all criminal cases.
>
>* Extend government surveillance under minimal standards to broad categories
>of Internet data  - all "routing, addressing and signaling information" (the
>"pen register" provision).
>
>For full background the current civil liberties issues with the bill, please
>see CDT's latest policy post -- http://www.cdt.org/publications/
>pp_7.10.shtml
>
>Also, the New York Times on October 10 explained the current situation in
>the Senate and Sen Feingold's concerns-- http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/10/
>national/10RIGH.html
>
>
>WHAT YOU CAN DO--MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
>
>1. Call your your Senators
>
>    - Sen. XXX at (202) 224-3121
>
>Tell the person who answers the phone that you hope your Senator will
>support the Feingold privacy amendment to the terrorism bill, so that it
>adequately protects civil liberties when giving the government new
>surveillance powers.
>
>Use these words if you feel tongue-tied:
>
>Staffer: Hello, Sen. XXX's office.
>
>You: Hello.  I'm a constituent calling to urge the Senator to support the
>Feingold privacy amendments to the anti-terrorism bill. Government needs to
>fight terrorism, but the bill fails to protect privacy.  I'm concerned about
>the provisions on Internet surveillance and roving wiretaps.  I support the
>Feingold amendments setting clear limits on government surveillance.
>
>Staffer: I'll tell the Senator.  Thanks, bye!
>
>2. Let CDT know how it went! Go to
>    http://www.cdt.org/action/feedback.cgi?membid=wijr, and use
>    the feedback form to tell us what happened. Or you can send an email
>    back to me at mclark at cdt.org.
>
>3. Lastly, please forward this message to other individuals interested in
>    protecting privacy and free expression on the Internet . They can find
>information about their Senators at http://www.cdt.org/action/. But they
>need to act right away.
>
>PLEASE NOTE:  We are asking you to call your Representatives in Washington
>because studies have shown that this is the most effective way to make a
>difference over a short period of time.  By the time the office reads your
>email or letter it will probably be too late and a call into the district
>office does not have the same impact when the Senator is in Washington.
>
>--
>To subscribe to CDT's Activist Network, sign up at:
>   http://www.cdt.org/join/
>
>If you ever wish to remove yourself from the list, unsubscribe at:
>   http://www.cdt.org/action/unsubscribe.shtml
>
>If you just want to change your address, you should unsubscribe
>yourself and then sign up again or contact: mclark at cdt.org
>
>
>---
>
>----------------------------------
>CDT Update Subscription Information
>
>E-mail questions, comments, or requests to subscribe or unsubscribe
>to ari at cdt.org or call (202) 637-9800.
>
>Detailed information about online civil liberties issues may be found
>at http://www.cdt.org/
>
>-----------------------------------
>Ari Schwartz
>Center for Democracy and Technology
>1634 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100
>Washington, DC 20006
>202 637 9800
>fax 202 637 0968
>ari at cdt.org
>http://www.cdt.org
>-----------------------------------

-- 
Perry E. Metzger		perry at piermont.com
--
"Ask not what your country can force other people to do for you..."



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