Bush Pushes Congress To Renew The Patriot Act
"We've also got to continue to make sure we meet our obligations to prevent further terrorist attack. One of the most important, effective tools for safeguarding our country is the Patriot Act," Bush said.
Bush made the plea at a White House press conference during which he also discussed his recent Supreme Court nominations, the hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast, the war in Iraq and avian flu.
"It's a positive piece of legislation. Parts of it are set to expire. Congress needs to recognize that terrorist threats won't expire. And so they need to send me a bill that reauthorizes the Patriot Act," the president said.
The Patriot Act was passed by Congress 45 days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and provided new tools for law enforcement to protect the homeland from terrorism.
While Bush and Attorney General Albert Gonzales have said the bill has made Americans safer, civil libertarians believe some provisions give law enforcement authorities too much power to snoop on average Americans.
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