March 7, 2006—Today, the House is taking up the USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act.  Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) is impassioned on the issue of national security and believes the PATRIOT Act contains provisions that assist law enforcement personnel in keeping our country safe from terrorist threats.

“The United States of America faces an insidious terrorist ideology committed to the destruction of the Western world.  The primary constitutional duty of the federal government is protecting the citizens of America from harm.  Over the past four years, the PATRIOT Act has been a key tool in that effort.  I believe the PATRIOT Act has helped protect this country since September 11th.”

Franks continued, “The reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act will ensure that our law enforcement personnel continue to have access to tools that have helped thus far to thwart violence against our nation from radical Islamic extremists.”

The USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act extends key provisions of the PATRIOT Act, which did the following:

• Removed major legal barriers which prevented the law enforcement, intelligence, and national defense communities from coordinating their work;
• Allowed law enforcement to conduct surveillance of more terror-related activities and allowed the authorization of nationwide search warrants;
• Updated the law to reflect new technologies and new threats; and
• Increased penalties for those who commit acts of terrorism and those who harbor terrorists.

Trent Franks is the Congressman from the 2nd Congressional District of Arizona.  He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Judiciary Committee and Vice Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee.