Sen. Murkowski Co-Sponsors Legislation to Extend Patriot Act

SEN. MURKOWSKI CO-SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO EXTEND PATRIOT ACT

BILL WOULD EXTEND CURRENT LAW, ALLOW MORE TIME FOR CHANGES TO REAUTHORIZATION

Facing a Dec. 31 sunset of certain Patriot Act provisions, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and a bi-partisan group of Senators today introduced legislation that would extend the current law until March 31, 2006.

Murkowski, who has actively opposed specific provisions of the Patriot Act reauthorization conference report, citing concerns over potential civil liberties infringements, said that the extension of the current law would allow conferees more time to make appropriate changes.

"Congress needs to come together and pass a reauthorization of the Patriot Act that strikes the appropriate balance between law enforcement needs and civil liberties protections," Murkowski said. "The conference report, as currently written does not strike that balance. An extension of the current law would be an appropriate action to take. It would allow the conferees more time to deliberate without facing the Dec. 31st expiration of the current law."

Murkowski joined Senators John Sununu (R-NH), Larry Craig (R-ID), John Rockefeller (D-WV), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Carl Levin (D-MI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ken Salazar (D-CO) in co-sponsoring the extension.

Murkowski noted that significant progress was made in making changes to the conference report prior to Thanksgiving and that Congress should allow more time to build on this positive momentum.

http://murkowski.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=249677