...The USA PATRIOT Act, or the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, is a basically an anti-terrorism law that was rather hastily passed as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks. It primarily aims at deterring and punishing acts of terrorism committed in the United States and elsewhere (USA PATRIOT Act, n.d.). However, while it appears to have noble aims of safeguarding American lives and property, the act needs to be repealed or, if not, amended so that the privacy freedoms of citizens are not trampled upon. The USA PATRIOT Act also aims at expanding the investigatory tools of law enforcement and, as well, give authorities from the executive branch more teeth against money laundering and terrorism financing and criminal abuse of financial institutions (USA PATRIOT Act, n.d.). As part of its broadening of law enforcement agencies' investigative powers, the law increased same agencies' surveillance powers, rendering amendments to the Wiretap Statue, Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Study guide, n.d.). This means that the government is allowed to considerably obtain even personal information about its citizens and detain aliens even without publicly acknowledging such (Mayeux, 2003-2004). In more lay person's terms, the Patriot Act seeks to accomplish its anti-terrorist objective by allowing government to wiretap more, Internet activities...
Words: 679 - Pages: 3
...The USA PATRIOT ACT, commonly known as the Patriot Act, is an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate tools required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. On October 23, 2001, Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 3162 incorporating provisions from a previously sponsored House bill and a Senate bill also introduced earlier in the month. The next day on October 24, 2001, the Act passed the House 357 to 66, with Democrats comprising the overwhelming portion of dissent. The following day on October 25, 2001, the Act passed the Senate by 98 to 1, with Russ Feingold the only opposition. This act was signed then into law by former president George W. Bush on October 26, 2011, just six weeks after the September 11th attacks to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This act reduced restrictions in law enforcement agencies’ gathering of intelligence with the U.S. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism. The Patriot Act made many changes to U.S. law, such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA), the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986 and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), as well as the Immigration and Nationality Act. It was strongly opposed by Senator, Russ Feingold; he was the only Senator to vote against the bill. The final Act had a number of sunsets that was supposed to expire on December 15, 2005. On May 26, 2011, President...
Words: 2019 - Pages: 9
...The USA PATRIOT ACT, commonly known as the Patriot Act, is an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate tools required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. On October 23, 2001, Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 3162 incorporating provisions from a previously sponsored House bill and a Senate bill also introduced earlier in the month. The next day on October 24, 2001, the Act passed the House 357 to 66, with Democrats comprising the overwhelming portion of dissent. The following day on October 25, 2001, the Act passed the Senate by 98 to 1, with Russ Feingold the only opposition. This act was signed then into law by former president George W. Bush on October 26, 2011, just six weeks after the September 11th attacks to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. This act reduced restrictions in law enforcement agencies’ gathering of intelligence with the U.S. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism. The Patriot Act made many changes to U.S. law, such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA), the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA), the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986 and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), as well as the Immigration and Nationality Act. It was strongly opposed by Senator, Russ Feingold; he was the only Senator to vote against the bill. The final Act had a number of sunsets that was supposed to expire on December 15, 2005. On May 26, 2011, President...
Words: 2019 - Pages: 9
...USA Patriot Act Mike Rosario Hodges University CCJ1700 Professor Jones March 15, 2012 Abstract Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, President Bush along with Congress took rapid actions in enforcing the laws on counter terrorism. Some Laws were altered and others added to the Patriot Act. These were necessary actions to improve our Nation’s ability to defend against terror. Less than six weeks after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the USA Patriot Act. This Act not only unites, but it also strengthens America by increasing the power and ability of counter terrorism. The USA Patriot Act is formed of ten titles. (1) Enhancing domestic security against terrorism. This title establishes funds for counter-terrorist activities and FBI technical Support Center. Also, the military and National electronic Crime Task Force is more involved in assisting. (2) Enhanced surveillance procedures, which covers all aspects of the surveillance of suspected terrorist. This Act gives federal officials greater authority to track and interrupt communications, both for law enforcement and foreign intelligence gathering purposes. (3) International money laundering abatement and anti-terrorist. This amendment has a created a huge impact in the financial community such as dealers, bankers, brokers and so on. Anyone falling under this category must have a clear record of all the money that goes in and out in their business. Also, it has...
Words: 474 - Pages: 2
...THE USA PATRIOT ACT--GOOD OR EVIL? Abstract Terrorism has been around in one form or another since long before September 11th 2001. It is our extreme reaction to the real threat of a terrorist attack began 9/11/2001. Although the odds of dying from a terrorist attack in America are extremely remote, after the attacks of 9/11/2001 and the overwhelming show of concern by American citizens, Congress hastily put together a bill outlining the workings of the U.S. Patriot Act. The United States Patriot Act of 2001 was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2001. President Barack Obama signed the Patriot Sunsets Extension Act of 2011, which created a 4 year extension of 3 key parts of the Patriot Act. Warrantless searches of business records, roving wiretaps, & conducting surveillance of individuals suspected of terrorist-related activities not linked to any specific organized terrorist groups. The Patriot Act dramatically reduced restrictions on law enforcement agencies' ability to search all records, documents, histories, etc., without the restraints of the normal operations of judicial law which most citizens assume will always protect them. The National and State Governments and their agencies work together to implement the Patriot Act with as minimal an “obvious” intrusion as possible into ours, the American citizens lives. It is obvious the security must be there, but with a minimal amount of perceived disruption to constitutionally given freedoms and rights. US...
Words: 2455 - Pages: 10
...The USA Patriot Act also known as the (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001) was a law signed by President at the time George W. Bush. The basis of this act was rushed into Congress after the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centers in New York City. In 2011 President Obama renewed the Patriot Act while granting a four year extension on four main parts of the USA Patriot Act. The basis of the Patriot Act is to conduct wiretaps, searches of business records, and conducting lone wolf surveillance on individuals suspected to be committing terroristic activities on United States soil. As recent as this year the Patriot Act came back into the news after...
Words: 432 - Pages: 2
...USA Patriot Act is an acronym for the official title, “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism.” On October 26, 2001 George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act, an act passed in response to the September 11th attack of the Pentagon and World Trade Center. USA Patriot Act bears ten sections and/or titles. The purpose of the USA Patriot Act is to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world. The act enhanced the law enforcement investigatory tools and resources. “The law was intended, in Bush’s words, to “enhance the penalties that will fall on terrorists or anyone who helps them.” (Staff, 2009) Even though, the act increased intelligence agencies...
Words: 1485 - Pages: 6
...Effects of USA PATRIOT Act on Banking Privacy Introduction On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by the terrorists and the attack has completely changed the way we live and work. Its impact is so immense that it covers almost every aspect of our life including the privacy protection policy in the banking industry. After the September 11 terrorist attack, the U.S. Congress passed a law, the USA PATRIOT Act that makes it easier for government law enforcement and intelligence agencies to gather and share information related to terror-related investigations and it has changed how the banking industry or financial institutions handle the privacy of their customers’ personal information. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the effects of the USA PATRIOT Act on banking industry’s handling customers’ private personal information. Some Background Information and History of Banking Privacy The USA PATRIOT Act is not an official title of the law. It is the acronym of the very long title of the Act: Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act of 2001. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. But, before 2001, do we have any law that provides guidelines for the privacy of banking industry in the United States of America? Surely, there are several laws that are related to the financial institutions and the privacy protection policy...
Words: 3707 - Pages: 15
...Axia College Material Appendix B The USA PATRIOT ACT Provisions Table Use the table below to organize information about the USA PATRIOT ACT. From the Electronic Reserve Reading article Update: USA Patriot Act, identify and classify characteristics of PATRIOT ACT provisions. Describe how each provision either poses potential risks to civil liberties, aids the War on Terror, or possibly both. While completing the table, consider what each provision means to you on a personal level. For example, Section 218 makes it easier for federal agents to open a criminal case on you or other citizens, should there be significant purpose to do so; yet, the same provision makes it easier for federal agents to gather information on a terrorist, and possibly prevent that terrorist from committing future crimes. |Provision |Risks to Civil Liberties |Aids the War on Terror | |Section 218 |Allows agents to obtain FISA warrants, requiring less |This provision makes it easier for agents to open a | | |evidence of wrongdoing, which can be subject to abuse |criminal case on terrorists, possibly preventing that | | |in domestic criminal cases. Only a significant |terrorist from committing future crimes. Reduces | | |investigative purpose is required to obtain a FISA |barriers between intelligence work and criminal | | ...
Words: 714 - Pages: 3
...U.S.A. Patriot ACT (Traylyn Redman) September the 11th 200l is a day that we all know well and remember for the rest of our lives. It is a day that will down in U.S. history as one of the most historic and tragic events in our history. One response enlighten of these events that was put in place was the USA PATRIOT ACT. The reason why the USA PARTIOT ACT was signed is mainly because of poor intelligence that the U.S. has had prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In addition to have a plan and reanalyze our intelligence we can make sure this attack would never happen again on American soil. The patriot act is a critical and historical event in itself. The act was put into place very quickly after 9/11. The government and President Bush had seen the U.S. as a whole was a strong country but still had weaknesses and were vulnerable to attacks without taking swift action. The act was signed on October 26, 2001, just one month after the 9/11 attacks. The patriot act was put in place for many reasons and has been a benefit and various ways. There has still been criticism and skepticism of the act in just the short term of the act being signed. The act of information sharing is one factor that the critics argue. The critics argument that this information would get into the wrong hands or be used by other agencies for unrelated or wrong reasons. The act would permit wiretaps on terrorist or even any potential terror threat over more than one jurisdiction. This would make sense...
Words: 955 - Pages: 4
...Information Technology Act Greg Bennett BIS/220 January 15, 2013 Nikia Johnson Information Technology Act Information technology continues to forge ahead and has done so from day one. Technology, moving forward, and becoming more advanced and sophisticated, adds growing concern over the ethical integrity of that technology. In correlation with those concerns, the United States government implemented various acts to aid control in these concerns and combat unethical behavior. Given the number of implemented acts, this paper focuses on two specific sections: the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970, and the U.S. Patriot Act of 2001. The implementation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 enabled each American to be on an even plane with credit opportunities. The government executed the U.S. Patriot Act in 2001, in part because of the atrocity of 9/11, to lessen terrorist activities by the use of the Internet and cyberspace. Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ordained to “protect consumers from the disclosure of inaccurate and arbitrary personal information held by consumer reporting agencies” (Consumer Privacy Guide (2001). The Fair Credit Reporting Act (1970). 2001). At the time when this act was established, American citizens were not viewed equally by credit facilities when attempting to purchase homes or vehicles. This act was a means of governing and guaranteeing equal opportunity and consideration for these...
Words: 1036 - Pages: 5
...The USA Patriot Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2001 to address the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The general rationale of the Patriot Act is to streamline communications between the different agencies that work together while investigating terrorist activity. The heart of the Patriot Act has American safety at its core and the American people did not have much to say against the act at first. However, as time wore on and people felt distance to the horrific and shocking attack on the country, they began to question the heightened surveillance and seeming lack of accountability for the invasion of privacy that is against the basic principles of freedom advocated by the United States Constitution. The underlying...
Words: 305 - Pages: 2
...have to transfer them? This scares those who live near a prison, many are terrorist so what should we do? Clean up and make Alcatraz Island also known as the Rock and put them there? From what we have learned that place is no better. Until there is peace throughout all the lands and countries there will and must be safeguards not just for us but for those who are suicide bombers and other terrorist. When someone threatened U.S. interests and safety, the government started thinking up ways to protect the citizens of our beautiful country. This is where the USA Patriot Act came from. The USA Patriot Act was signed into law by former President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001, just a little over a month after the attacks. It is an acronym that stands for, Uniting (and) Strengthening America (by) Providing Appropriate Tools Required (to) Intercept (and) Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. The easiest way to put what this act did was to say that it reduced the restrictions in law enforcement agencies’ gathering intelligence with the United States, expanded the Secretary of the Treasury’s authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities, and broadened the discretion of...
Words: 3800 - Pages: 16
...The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were of the nature of not easily forgotten. To help counter any future recurrences of such events, the U.S. government enacted what is most commonly known as the “Patriot Act.” The full name of this act is “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA Patriot Act) Act of 2001,” and was passed only 45 days after the terrorist attacks. There are many arguments on whether or not the Patriot Act is designed to work for the better of the world, or to take away many of the civil liberties that belong to citizens of the United States. On the surface, it seems like the Patriot Act is working towards the right goal: “To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.” However, many would argue that the last two objectives of the act (the majority of the act) have been taken too far. A closer look at the Patriot Act reveals well intended items, some of which also having consequences. Section 101 of the first title, Enhancing Domestic Security Against Terrorism, of the Patriot Act (USA Patriot Act) creates what is known as the Counterterrorism Fund. This fund is set up to recover costs that are spent in association with terrorism. The only drawback to the fund is that there is no limit to the spending. Section 102 condemns discrimination against Americans of Arab, Muslim, and...
Words: 1372 - Pages: 6
...Electronic Surveillance of Employees Professor Michael Hall Law, Ethic, and Corporate Governance- LEG 500 November 1, 2011 Explain where an employee can reasonably expect to have privacy in the workplace. You may think your United States employee rights authorize you to have a privacy workplace. People are wrong because, according to workplace privacy studies, the odds were good that your employer was monitoring all your internet actions, including your web pages and chat rooms (Niznik, 2011). If your company policy does not state there is a workplace privacy policy, your employer may watch, listen, and read just about everything in workplace area. Employers have the right to protect their business, their finances, and all of their equipment. The American Management Association (AMA) conducted a study of 526 employers which most use some type of electronic surveillance of the employees (Niznik, 2011). Many employers will deny they use any type of electronic surveillance however; the odds are good that your employer has “the eye,” watching your every move at work. Employers are not required to provide workplace privacy because your employers own everything you use at work. Your employers own the computers you work on, the telephones you talk on and the buildings in which you work. There are only a few weak employee workplace privacy right laws that exist. Since there are so few workplace privacy laws, it is legal for “the eye” to spy on you without your...
Words: 1946 - Pages: 8
