NO VOTE on Patriot Act renewal

Someone I know who works for the Bill of Rights Defense Committee asked me to post this:

Hi everyone,

I've just finished a call of Washington-based organizations and congressional staffers. It sounds like the Senators will fly home tonight or tomorrow without a vote on the Patriot Act reauthorization bill. The Democrats on the conference committee have helped convince Specter not to sign the conference report, and without his signature it can't fly.

So, there's likely to be a new draft the week before the Senate returns (December 12), with a cloture vote scheduled for December 14.

We need to keep pressure on for the best bill we can get. For example:

* Calls to thank senators and reps who've stopped a bad conference report
* In-district meetings and attendance at town hall meetings of those who need convincing.

The White House had wanted to finish this now, so it wouldn't get down to the wire. As you know, without a reauthorization vote by 12/31, the 16 expiring sections disappear. People who've spent their entire careers in Washington working with Congress all say that they've NEVER seen anything like this--a conference report sold as a done deal and then went south. Hooray!

Best,

xxxxx, Director
Bill of Rights Defense Committee

:applause:

Thanks for posting. Will get busy.

I trust so little these days.

:-)

Those fargin' sniggy bastiches in Congress have a way of slipping legislation through without anyone knowing until it's too late. :evilfrown: Keeping my fingers crossed here....

Thank you. :toast:

for opposing renewal of the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. act. At least she got this one right.