House Members Lauded For Anti-Patriot Act Vote

All five Connecticut members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted against last month's renewal of the Patriot Act. "We thank these five for recognizing the potential for civil liberties abuses under the renewed legislation, which was hastily adopted in the wake of 9/1/1 and overreaches in many respects," said Andrew Schneider, executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut.

Despite the Connecticut nay votes, the bill passed in the House.

In the Senate, Schneider noted, Joseph I. Lieberman voted for renewal. Richard Blumenthal missed the vote because of a family obligation, but had voted for the extension in committee, and indicated earlier in the week support for the measure, according to a CTMirror article.

Meantime, national ACLU attorneys have drafted a Freedom of Information Act request demanding that the Justice Department release information about the government's use and interpretation of Section 215, perhaps the most controversial of the provisions that Congress reauthorized.