What is the Patriot Act?
The PATRIOT Act was passed by the U.S. congress in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It ushered in an overnight revision of the nation’s surveillance laws that vastly expands the government’s authority to spy on its citizens, while reducing checks and balances on those powers. The ACLU is pushing for Congress to re-examine provisions of the PATRIOT Act to ensure that it is in alignment with key constitutional protections and prevent any further intrusions, like the creation of a PATRIOT II.
