Conference Report on H.R. 3199, USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005

CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3199, USA PATRIOT IMPROVEMENT AND REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - December 14, 2005)

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Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, true patriots need not hide behind the flag nor apply phony titles to cover the misguided purposes of their legislation.

From its origin, this grossly misnamed PATRIOT Act has cloaked its weaknesses by implying that its opponents are ``un-patriots'' as in ``unpatriotic.'' This is all part of a troubling pattern: secret prisons, sneak and peek searches, gag orders, redefining torture to exclude cruel and degrading punishment, extraordinary rendition, combing through library records, and even attempting to misuse our military to spy on religious groups.

These acts debase our American values. This bill should be rejected because it fails to strike the proper balance between the security we demand and the liberties that we cherish.

Yes, Vice President Cheney has suddenly emerged from his secure, undisclosed location and taken pause from his campaign to preserve torture in order to enthusiastically embrace today's bill. But intrusive, invasive powers in the hands of a few with little oversight and no accountability is a formula for wrongdoing. We should not surrender our liberties to any Administration. Retreating to such abusive tactics is weakness, not strength.

We should not add even more powers to an Administration that has so often been willing to abuse its existing power, nor should we add more authority to an Administration that has acted in authoritarian ways. Real patriots understand that an all-powerful government can undermine our security just as surely as a dangerous religious fanatic.

And all of this is occurring when the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, the citizens' commission that this Administration fought every step of the way, is giving the Administration and this Republican Congress one F after another for not protecting our families. Instead, we get this kind of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, authoritarianism is not born full-bodied. It is conceived in small injustices, which tolerated over time become irreversible. Benjamin Franklin understood when he said, ``Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.''

This much is certain, each day of this Administration brings more news of both deaths of true patriots abroad and more abuses of our values by those who claim to be patriots at home. This is an Administration where the ends always seem to justify the means. But their ``ends'' too often betray our safety, and their ``means'' forsake our values.

To those who promote this misguided act, pull down your false colors; raise the American flag of freedom. Reject this bill.

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