WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union Monday applauded Montana for passing "the strongest state-level resolution in the country against the Patriot Act."
The bipartisan Montana resolution calls on Congress to bring the antiterrorism legislation in line with the Constitution, and prohibits state agencies from participating in abusive federal security measures, the ACLU said in Washington.
The ACLU said Montana's legislature is the fifth to speak out against the Patriot Act and joins more than 375 local governments in passing similar resolutions defending essential liberties.
The Montana resolution calls on Congress to make sure what critics call the act's most extreme provisions are allowed to "sunset," or lapse, this year.
It also urges support for the Security and Freedom Ensured Act, which the ACLU said is a modest bipartisan measure that would help restore privacy protections and make sure additional Patriot Act provisions, such as the controversial "sneak and peek" search provision, come up for review with the sunset of each provision.
