The Patriot Act is legislation passed in to improve the abilities of U. Though the Patriot Act was modified in to help ensure the Constitutional rights of ordinary Americans, some provisions of the law remain controversial. The Patriot Act is a more than page document passed by the U. Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, , just weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States.
But after the April Oklahoma City bombing in which American citizens blew up a federal building, domestic terrorism gained more attention. Congress refused, mainly because many felt loosening surveillance and records rules was unconstitutional.
Faced with millions of fearful voters, Congress approached U. According to the Department of Justice, the Patriot Act simply expanded the application of tools already being used against drug dealers and organized crime. The act aimed to improve homeland security by:. Whether to renew the act was passionately argued in the U.
House of Representatives and the Senate. Depending on whom you ask or what you read, the Patriot Act may or may not have prevented terrorism. They claim the Patriot Act is essential to helping law enforcement identify leads and prevent attacks. Despite the supposed noble intentions behind the Patriot Act, the law is still hotly debated. The federal government asserts the Patriot Act has safeguards to protect the rights of American citizens.
Still, some parts of the law were found illegal by the courts. The act ended the bulk collection of all records under Section of the Patriot Act and allowed challenges to national security letter gag orders. It also required better transparency and more information sharing between the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and the American people. Bush Signs Patriot Act Renewal. CBS News. Washington Post. The Heritage Foundation. The New York Times. Surveillance Under the Patriot Act.
