American Civil Liberties Union : Letter to the Senate on H.R. 5005, the National Homeland Security Act and Combating Terrorism Act of 2002

There has never been a more urgent need to preserve fundamental privacy protections and our system of checks and balances than the need we face today, as illegal government spying, provisions of the Patriot Act and government-sponsored torture programs transcend the bounds of law and our most treasured values in the name of national security.

Letter to the Senate on H.R. 5005, the National Homeland Security Act and Combating Terrorism Act of 2002 (9/12/2002)

Re: H.R. 5005: National Homeland Security Act and Combating Terrorism Act of 2002

Dear Senator:

On behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and its approximately 300,000 members, we are writing regarding H.R. 5005, the "National Homeland Security and Combating Terrorism Act of 2002."

We write to underscore that it is vital that civil liberties protections, openness and accountability provisions, immigration provisions, and civil rights protections be included in the final bill. However the Senate determines that the Homeland Security Department is to be organized, these provisions must not be sacrificed. We discuss these issues in depth in a separate side-by-side comparison chart that gives our recommendations.

Again, we commend the Senate for its determination to fully debate and consider the many difficult issues around homeland security. We strongly urge you to complete your work by incorporating the suggestions in the chart.

Sincerely,

Laura W. Murphy
Director, Washington National Office

Timothy Edgar
Legislative Counsel

Katie Corrigan
Legislative Counsel

Rachel King
Legislative Counsel

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