Feingold Pledges to Fight Final PATRIOT Act Reauthorization Final Bill Strips Out Meaningful Changes Made by the Senate and Ignores the Public’s Demand for More Protection of Our Rights and Freedoms November 16, 2005 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today released the following statement on the Patriot Act conference report, scheduled to come to the Senate floor as early as this week. “Reports out of the PATRIOT Act reauthorization conference committee are extremely troubling. In July, members on both sides of the aisle in the Senate unanimously agreed that changes needed to be made to the PATRIOT Act and passed a bill that took important steps to protect Americans’ rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, it appears that the conference committee is likely to reject that bipartisan consensus. In 2001, I was alone in the Senate in opposing the Patriot Act. But for the past several years, a bipartisan coalition has been working together to seek modifications. I agreed to support the Senate version of the reauthorization bill even though it did not go nearly as far as the SAFE Act. I cannot stand by while the conference committee undermines the modest protections for our rights and freedoms contained in the Senate bill. The American people deserve better. Working with my colleagues, I will consider all procedural options at my disposal to fight a final reauthorization bill that doesn’t fix the Patriot Act.”

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