Barr Highly Critical of Patriot Act "Deal"
Blasts Administration Pressure on Senate 

Atlanta, GA (February 10, 2006) – Former Congressman Bob Barr today expressed deep disappointment in the Patriot Act deal reached by the Senate yesterday. Barr noted that the central problem with the existing law - the lack of any required link between records sought and a suspected terrorist, or citizen connected to a terrorist, before the government is able to invade an American's private records - was not addressed. Making such a modest change to the Patriot Act would not in any way impair the government's ability to identify and prosecute terrorists or those who aid or abet them, but it would help protect the privacy of ordinary Americans.

   Barr noted that some in Congress have fought valiantly to reform the Patriot Act despite pressure from the Administration. He stated, "for conservatives, libertarians and others who share these fundamental values to have waited this long, only to see a deal struck that gives the Administration virtually everything it wanted all along - a reauthorization of the hastily passed Patriot Act without fixing the flawed provisions - is most disappointing."

   In addition to allowing continued secret sneak-and-peek searches in cases that have nothing to do with terrorism, the reauthorization bill also contains a very troubling provision with which the President may designate any event (such as a sports event, a religious event, a political rally, an education program, etc.) as a "special event of national significance." This classification thereby gives the Secret Service power to investigate it and make it a crime for anyone to enter or attend the event that the government doesn't want to attend.

   Barr cautioned conservatives against embracing these kinds of government powers that could be used against political enemies of future administrations. But more than that, the Congressman noted, the American people need to stand together to defend their privacy, even against the best intentions, because privacy lost is so seldom regained. "We must continue to make sure that federal agents have the tools needed to fight the terrorist threats we face but within the rule of law that is the hallmark of our country. The Patriot Act can and should be reformed to protect the rights of ordinary Americans – the legacy rights bestowed upon us by our founding fathers and the ingenious system of checks and balances they created so that liberty may endure."

   For further information, please visit www.bobbarr.org or contact Taryn Jones at 770.836.1776.

Barr, a former Member of Congress, has served with the U.S. Department of Justice and Central Intelligence Agency. He continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association and works with such groups as the American Conservative Union Foundation and the ACLU on issues related to privacy and national security and also serves as the Chairman for Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances.