The Patriot Act: Key Controversies
The Patriot Act of 2001 was signed into law by former President George W. Bush to bolster
national security after the tragic event of 9/11. The Patriot Act is a short name for The Uniting
and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct
Terrorism Act. "Among other things, the Act enhances domestic security procedures, including
increasing funding for law enforcement agencies and the military, enhances law enforcement's
surveillance capabilities, including foreign and domestic phone, wire, and computer tapping,
removes obstacles to investigating terrorism, including easing interagency communication and
encouraging information sharing, increases the penalties for acts of terrorism and expands the list
of activities considered to be acts of terrorism." (LII, 2023)
The assigned reading The Patriot Act: Key Controversies by Larry Abramson and Maria Godoy
highlight the most controversial provisions that were made to this law. The controversies were
information sharing, roving wiretaps, access to records, foreign intelligence wiretaps and
searches, "sneak & peek" warrants, material support. These controversies restricted American
citizens from their rights to privacy. Many of these laws are abused by police officers which are
the reason for controversial opinions, but many of these helped to capture foreign adversaries
tied to terrorist organizations and 9/11.
The Law of Armed Conflict, The Use of Military Force, and The 2001 Authorization for Use of
Military Force
This reading of The Law of Armed Conflict, The Use of Military Force, and The 2001
Authorization for Use of Military Force is a hearing before the committee on Armed Services
United States Senate regarding Congress enacting a joint resolution authorizing the President to,
''Use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he
determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on
September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons.''
The committee is gathering
evidence regarding whether or not the use of military force is required in places that are no
longer housing Al-Qaeda affiliates rather than towards terrorist groups that are completely
separate from Al-Qaeda. The main argument of this hearing is the use of military force
constitutionally sound after the war on Osama Bin Laden and their terrorist organization is some
what been targeted and killed.
Abramson, L., & Godoy, M. (2006, February 14).
The Patriot Act: Key Controversies
. NPR.
https://legacy.npr.org/news/specials/patriotact/patriotactprovisions.html
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.).
Patriot act
. Legal Information Institute.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/patriot_act
U.S. Government. (2013, May 16).
The law of armed conflict, the use of military force, and the
2001 ...
govinfo. https://www.congress.gov/113/chrg/CHRG-113shrg88026/CHRG-
113shrg88026.pdf
