Extending Patriot Act Powers
Interviewee: Matthew C. Waxman, Adjunct Senior Fellow for Law and Foreign Policy
Interviewer: Jonathan Masters, Associate Staff Writer
February 22, 2011
In an effort to allow further debate, Congress recently voted to push back by ninety days the February 28 expiration date of three controversial provisions of the Patriot Act. The provisions, which critics say create civil liberty concerns, include roving wiretaps, increased access to business records, and so-called "lone wolf" tracking capabilities. They represent some of the enhanced surveillance powers established after 9/11 to help law enforcement conduct counterterrorism investigations. Matthew Waxman, a CFR expert on law and foreign policy, expects all three provisions to be extended into the near future, but suggests there remains "a major question concerning the adequacy of oversight for these powers." He explains the expirations built into these types of laws help keep government "in check" by triggering renewed debate based on experience. In supporting these extensions, he adds, the Obama White House is seeking "continuity" with much of the counterterrorism policies advocated by the Bush administration.
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