Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.,
Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee,
On Passage Of The Sununu-Leahy Bill
To Extend Provisions Of The USA PATRIOT Act   
December 21, 2005

[In recent weeks, Senator Leahy, a co-author of the original 2001 USA PATRIOT Act, joined with Senator John Sununu, (R-N.H.) in leading a bipartisan effort to briefly extend the expiring provisions of the law to allow Congress to take the necessary time to make improvements to the reauthorization legislation.  Leahy and Sununu introduced a bill earlier this month calling for a short-term extension of the PATRIOT Act.  A bipartisan majority of 52 senators Wednesday wrote to the Republican leader urging a short-term extension of the law.]    

“This is a victory for bipartisanship, for checks and balances, and for respecting Americans' civil liberties while protecting their security.

“I appreciate the willingness of the Republican leadership to listen at last to a bipartisan majority that has acted in good faith and in what we feel are the best interests of the nation.  This is a reasonable step that will allow the Judiciary Committee time to examine better ways to strike the right balance.

“Especially when security and liberty are in the balance, why not make the extra effort for a consensus bill that can earn the confidence of the American people?  To ask that question is to answer it. 

“It is worth the extra effort and a few more months to produce a balanced PATRIOT Act and a consensus PATRIOT Act.  We can do better for Americans, and this extension gives us the time to do it.  There is no reason why the American people cannot have a better PATRIOT Act, and now we have the opportunity to achieve that.”

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