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 …show more content…
Title I - Enhancing Domestic Security designed to create funding for counterterrorism, expand technical support of Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as the expansion of electronic intelligence-gathering research within National Electronic Crime Task Force Initiative. Funding counterterrorism reimburse the Justice Department for the cost of restoring the facilities damaged and/or destroyed by terrorist. In addition to preventing, investigating and prosecuting terrorism funding aids in conducting threat assessments federal agencies in preparing for acts of terrorism. This section allows law enforcement to request military assistance in certain emergencies, defines presidential authority in response of terrorism and forbids discrimination against Arabs and Muslims. “It is the sense of Congress that the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans, including Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, and Americans from South Asia, should be protected; that violence and discrimination against any American should be condemned.” (Doyle, 2001) Title II - Enhances surveillance procedures is objected to authorize interception of communication and searches of computers relating to terrorism. …show more content…
A few clarifications are telephone and electronic communications providers. Law enforcement officials may be required providers to provide customer information without notifying their customers. Cable companies are prohibited from disclosing customer identifying information without customer approval. Trap and trace devices and pen registers are devices utilized to secretly identify the source and destination of calls made to and from a particular telephone. It can be compared to a tracking device. Intelligence officers may use them pursuant to a court order authorized in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Federal Bureau of Investigation are allowed to confiscate material deeming it may endanger national security. There are explanation for procedures to obtain warrants, new definitions for intelligence gathering. The USA Patriot Act has a sunset clause. If there is no renewal, it will inevitably expire. Expiring provisions are authority to intercept wire, oral and electronic communications relating to terrorism and/ or computer fraud, authority to share interception