WASHINGTON, April 20 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush called on Congress Tuesday to make permanent expiring provisions of the controversial USA Patriot Act to ensure law enforcement and federal intelligence agencies have the tools necessary to unearth and run down terrorists and prevent domestic attacks.
The exhortation was given before an audience of law enforcement, first responders and other public safety officials in Buffalo, N.Y., including some who participated in the investigation that led to the arrest and sentencing of six residents of Arab descent tied to al-Qaida who were apparently planning terrorist acts.
"We've got a lot of work to do," Bush said. "We're a freedom nation, we're a big nation, people come and go. And we need to change the whole attitude about how we protect the homeland."
The Patriot Act, passed overwhelmingly by Congress and hurried into law following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, is credited by the administration with helping to overcome previous legal and agency-culture barriers that prevented aggressive investigations and even the sharing of intelligence.
Former Attorney General Janet Reno, CIA Director George Tenet and others before the commission investigating the events of 2001 and the circumstances that led up to them, highlighted the problem of intelligence sharing last week in testimony. U.S. laws prevented the sharing of some information between agencies.
As Bush put it Tuesday, "The way I view it ... is that one part of the FBI couldn't tell the other part of the FBI vital information because of law. And the CIA and FBI couldn't talk."
The law also gave permission for use in terrorism investigations of practices already allowed in racketeering investigations, such as roving wiretaps. Once a court order is obtained to wiretap a suspect's phone, the permission would apply to other phones he or she uses, including cell phones, no matter how many times the suspect changes them.
Another provision concerns delayed warrant notification on search warrants. Basically, it allows law enforcement to collect data wanted about a suspect before notification is actually served that such action would take place. As in racketeering cases, authorities would still need issuance of a warrant by a judge before the data search could be performed.
"It's important to our fellow citizens to understand, when you think 'Patriot Act,' constitutional guarantees are still in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution," Bush said.
The Patriot Act has been attacked by civil libertarians for allegedly opening the door to possible abuse of constitutional rights.
More than a dozen provisions of the act are set to expire at the end of 2005. Bush has said he is raising the issue now to stir debate and pressure Congress to act sooner rather than later. Raising it early, however, also plays to his strong suits in the upcoming general election -- national security and anti-terrorism -- both of which neither Democratic attacks nor testimony at the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States have been able to take away from him to a degree that might seriously endanger his re-election.
In Buffalo Tuesday, as in Hershey, Pa., Monday, Bush proposed strengthening the Patriot Act by adding provisions that would make it more difficult for terror suspects to get bail and would see them face a federal death penalty for acts on or against military and nuclear facilities that result in death.
"The Patriot Act needs to be renewed and the Patriot Act needs to be enhanced," Bush said.
Following his remarks, Bush traveled to New York City for a campaign reception, where about 130 attendees shelled out $25,000 per ticket for Republican campaign coffers.
Following that, Bush returned to Washington and the White House.
First lady Laura Bush was also busy Tuesday, raising about $800,000 at an event in Kentucky.
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