SAFE Act Restores Constitutional Protections

April 5, 2005

Washington, D.C.—The American Policy Center (APC) and other organizations dedicated to limited government gathered today on Capitol Hill to support the introduction of the “Security and Freedom Ensured” (SAFE) Act. The SAFE Act is a bipartisan bill specifically designed to amend several of the more controversial, and constitutionally abusive provisions of the PATRIOT Act.

“The SAFE Act is a common sense measure designed to help restore crucial constitutional liberties that have been infringed upon by the PATRIOT Act,” said APC President Tom DeWeese. “Section 213 of the PATRIOT Act allows the federal government to secretly search Americans’ homes and business and confiscate personal property without ever notifying the owner,” noted DeWeese. “The SAFE Act simply amends this section to ensure proper judicial review of such ‘sneak and peek’ warrants, and makes certain that the affected party is notified.”

Another controversial provision of the PATRIOT Act would be amended by the SAFE Act. Currently, under section 215 of the PATRIOT Act, federal agents can secretly collect personal information on Americans, such as medical records, library records, and records of firearm purchases – all without specifically linking the person to a foreign agent. “The SAFE Act requires the FBI to show that the target of such federal data mining is actually linked to a foreign agent,” said DeWeese. “Again, this is a common sense fix.”

According to DeWeese, the SAFE Act does nothing to impede the federal government’s fight against terrorism. Instead, it protects the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans. “If the federal government were truly concerned with preventing terrorism, it would take serious measures to secure our porous borders,” said DeWeese, “rather than grant itself egregious powers to monitor and track the whereabouts of American citizens.”

The American Policy Center is a grassroots activist organization dedicated to the promotion of property rights, limited government, and free markets. The Center is located just outside our nation’s capital in Virginia.

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Tom DeWeese
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Tom DeWeese is President of the American Policy Center and National Grassroots Coordinator for CFACT (Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow) working to help local activists organize into Freedom Pods (www.CFACT.org). He is also the author of three books, including Now Tell Me I Was Wrong, ERASE, and Sustainable: the WAR on Free Enterprise, Private Property, and Individuals.