Posts Tagged ‘Patriot Act’

Speech Commentary |

Feingold book details his lone ‘no’ vote on Patriot Act

Former Wisconsin senator says legislative response to 9/11 attacks was too hasty, trampled on free speech and other liberties.

First Amendment Analysis |

Debate on Patriot Act and First Amendment continues

Many contend the Patriot Act still represents an abuse of government authority; others insist the concern is overblown.

Speech News |

Patriot Act extended despite opposition

Kentucky’s Rand Paul held up final Senate vote for several days while he demanded a chance to change the bill to diminish government’s ability to monitor individual actions.

Speech News |

Top lawmakers agree to Patriot Act extension

Deal between Senate majority leader and House speaker calls for vote before May 27, but support for the extension is unclear.

Speech News |

Senate panel approves Patriot Act extensions

WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee voted yesterday to extend until the end of 2013 three post-Sept. 11 terror-fighting practices that have raised concerns among civil liberties groups.
At the same time, the legislation, which was approved on a 10-7, mainly party-line vote, would end in December 2013 the investigative tool known as National Security Letters [...]

Speech |

Patriot Act extension clears Senate

Editor’s note: In this story about the Senate voting to extend anti-terrorism measures, the Associated Press reported erroneously that a “lone wolf” provision in a 2004 law permits secret intelligence surveillance of non-U.S. individuals not known to be linked to a specific terrorist activity. The law does require the government to convince a judge [...]

Speech |

House votes to extend key provisions of Patriot Act

WASHINGTON — The House agreed yesterday to a 10-month extension of three key law enforcement powers in the fight against terrorism that some privacy advocates from both the right and left regard as infringements on civil liberties.
The House measure, H.R. 514, passed 275-144, would extend authority for the USA Patriot Act-related provisions until Dec. 8. [...]

Speech |

House rejects extension of controversial Patriot Act provisions

WASHINGTON — The House yesterday failed to extend the life of three surveillance tools that are key to the nation's post-Sept. 11 anti-terror law, a slipup for the new Republican leadership that miscalculated the level of opposition.
The House voted 277-148 to keep the three provisions of the USA Patriot Act on the books until Dec. [...]

Freedom Of Information • Press • Speech |

2nd Circuit upholds ex-sailor’s conviction for leaking classified info

NEW YORK — A federal appeals court yesterday upheld the conviction of a former Navy sailor serving a 10-year prison sentence after he leaked details about ship movements to a London-based website that supported attacking Americans.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected defense arguments seeking to overturn the 2008 conviction of Hassan [...]

Speech |

White House drafting rules to make it easier to eavesdrop online

WASHINGTON — Broad new regulations being drafted by the Obama administration would make it easier for law enforcement and national security officials to eavesdrop on Internet and e-mail communications like social-networking websites and BlackBerrys, The New York Times reported today.
The newspaper reports that the White House plans to submit a bill next year that would [...]

Press • Speech |

U.S. denies visa to prominent Colombian journalist

Editor’s note: The Associated Press reported July 27 that the U.S. State Department had reversed its decision to deny a visa to Hollman Morris. Neither Morris nor Nieman curator Robert Giles was given an explanation for the denial or the reversal.
BOGOTA, Colombia — The U.S. government has denied a visa to a prominent
Colombian journalist who [...]

Speech |

Census data is private, Obama administration says

WASHINGTON — With the 2010 population count looming, the government provided new assurances this week that information Americans fill out on their census forms will be kept confidential and not be used for law enforcement.
In a letter dated March 3 to leaders of the congressional Hispanic, Asian and Black caucuses, the Obama administration provided its [...]

Freedom Of Information • Press • Speech |

Senate renews Patriot Act without added privacy protections

Editor's note: The Associated Press reported that late on Feb. 25, the House of Representatives voted 315-97 in favor of a one-year extension of the USA Patriot Act. President Barack Obama signed the measure on Feb. 27.
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats have retreated from adding new privacy
protections to the nation’s primary counterterrorism law, as Republicans refused
to [...]

Freedom Of Information • Press • Speech |

Blog: Shield law, PATRIOT Act on 111th agenda

As the 111th Congress begins its second session, a number of bills affecting
First Amendment freedoms are up for consideration by the full Senate in
2010, including:
S. 448 — Free Flow of Information Act: After 17 markup hearings and
much negotiation with the Obama administration, the so-called “news media
shield” bill passed its first hurdle in the Senate Judiciary Committee [...]

Press • Speech |

House panel passes bill restricting Patriot Act

WASHINGTON — Defying the Obama administration, the House Judiciary Committee voted yesterday to remove from the USA Patriot Act a tool for tracking non-U.S. citizens in anti-terrorism investigations.
The committee, dominated by Democratic liberals, also voted to amend the anti-terrorism law to curb the government's surveillance and records-seizure powers.
The bill went to the full House on [...]

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About The First Amendment Center

We support the First Amendment and build understanding of its core freedoms through education, information and entertainment.

The center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of free-expression issues, including freedom of speech, of the press and of religion, and the rights to assemble and to petition the government.

Founded by John Seigenthaler, the First Amendment Center is an operating program of the Freedom Forum and is associated with the Newseum and the Diversity Institute. The center has offices in the John Seigenthaler Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

The center’s programs, including the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum, provide education and information to the public and groups including First Amendment scholars and experts, educators, government policy makers, legal experts and students. The center is nonpartisan and does not lobby, litigate or provide legal advice. See First Amendment Center Fact Sheet and FAQs. See internships info.

The center’s website, www.firstamendmentcenter.org, is one of the most authoritative sources of news, information and commentary in the nation on First Amendment issues. It features daily updates on news about First Amendment-related developments, as well as detailed reports about U.S. Supreme Court cases involving the First Amendment, and commentary, analysis and special reports on free expression, press freedom and religious-liberty issues. Support the work of the First Amendment Center.

1 For All

1 for All is a national nonpartisan program designed to build understanding and support for First Amendment freedoms. 1 for All provides teaching materials to the nation’s schools, supports educational events on America’s campuses and reminds the public that the First Amendment serves everyone, regardless of faith, race, gender or political leanings. It is truly one amendment for all. Visit 1 for All at http://1forall.us/

Help tomorrow’s citizens find their voice: Teach the First Amendment

The most basic liberties guaranteed to Americans – embodied in the 45 words of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – assure Americans a government that is responsible to its citizens and responsive to their wishes.

These 45 words are as alive and important today as they were more than 200 years ago. These liberties are neither liberal nor conservative, Democratic nor Republican – they are the basis for our representative democratic form of government.

We know from studies beginning in 1997 by the nonpartisan First Amendment Center, and from studies commissioned by the Knight Foundation and others, that few adult Americans or high school students can name the individual five freedoms that make up the First Amendment.

The lesson plans – drawn from materials prepared by the Newseum and the First Amendment Center – will draw young people into an exploration of how their freedoms began and how they operate in today’s world. Students will discuss just how far individual rights extend, examining rights in the school environment and public places. The lessons may be used in history and government, civics, language arts and journalism, art and debate classes. They may be used in sections or in their entirety. Many of these lesson plans indicate an overall goal, offer suggestions on how to teach the lesson and list additional resources and enrichment activities.

See more about lesson plans.

First Amendment Moot Court Competition

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – the cornerstone of American democracy – is the focus of the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition. Recognized as one of the nation's finest constitutional-law competitions, this annual event features a current First Amendment controversy.

During the two-day competition in February, each team will participate in a minimum of four rounds, arguing a hypothetical based on a current First Amendment controversy before panels of accomplished jurists, legal scholars and attorneys.

Past participants in the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition have represented law schools nationwide, from Brooklyn Law School to Duke University to Arizona State to Harvard.

The 23rd Annual National First Amendment Moot Court Competition is Feb. 21-22, 2013. See registration information and details about the competition.

FIRST AMENDMENT CENTER ARCHIVES

State of the First Amendment survey reports

The State of the First Amendment surveys, commissioned since 1997 by the First Amendment Center and Newseum, are a regular check on how Americans view their first freedoms of speech, press, assembly, religion and petition.

The periodic surveys examine public attitudes toward freedom of speech, press, religion and the rights of assembly and petition; and sample public opinion on contemporary issues involving those freedoms. See the reports.