Welcome to the Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Are you concerned that the government's warrantless surveillance, detainee policies, and other post-9/11 laws and policies undermine our basic civil rights and liberties and make our country less safe? Join the Bill of Rights Defense Committee's national network of people who are taking meaningful action to restore protections guaranteed under the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution.
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Bills to watch on the following:
Domestic wiretapping
State secrets privilege
National Security Letters
"Homegrown terrorists"
BORDC resources:
Watch video on FBI abuses of National Security
Letters
BORDC workshop and teleconference recordings
2008 Elections and Key Congressional Votes
Bills to watch
Domestic Wiretapping: House and Senate working on compromise
The Senate-passed bill provides blanket immunity to telecommunications companies that gave the administration telephone and e-mail records and wiretap access without warrants that are required by law. The House's latest bill provides stronger civil liberties protections than the Senate bill and does not provide blanket immunity.
House and Senate leadership are now working on a compromise bill that may be voted on as soon as the week of May 12. Call your representative and your senators today and insist on no blanket immunity and no wiretaps of Americans' calls or emails without warrants!
Senate Committee Held Hearing on State Secrets Legislation
In April, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the State Secrets Protection Act (S 2533) introduced by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, which would place limits on the government's use of the state secrets privilege. President Bush has used the privilege to halt many lawsuits seeking redress for government wrongdoing.
House and Senate Committee Hearings on National Security Letter Legislation
In April, the House and Senate Judiciary Committees held hearings on the need to roll back the power in order to protect innocent Americans’ personal information from being acquired and kept in a database indefinitely. House and Senate versions of the National Security Letters Reform Act, H.R. 3189 and S. 2088, contain beneficial reforms, and both have bipartisan support.
"Thought Crime" Bill Dead in Senate
The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R. 1955) passed by an overwhelming 404-6 in the House last October. However, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee does not plan to consider the bill this year. Grassroots activists' calls seem to have moved the bill to a very slow track for the time being.
BORDC Resources
Watch BORDC's new video, FBI Unbound: How National Security Letters Violate Our Privacy, which features two former members of the Justice Department, Lisa Graves and Bruce Fein, and George Christian, a recipient of a National Security Letter who refused to comply.
BORDC Workshops & Teleconferences
Hear audio or read notes of BORDC's workshops and teleconferences on civil liberties issues here.
2008 Elections and Key Congressional Votes
This table prepared by Amherst, MA, activist Judith Solsken, compares presidential candidates' stances on treatment of detainees and domestic surveillance, and it lists key advisors.
Click here for key Congressional civil liberties votes through October 2006. Click here for key votes after October 2006.
In
the News:
5/8, Reuters, U.S. Says 5 - 10 Percent Of Guantanamo Inmates Fight Again
5/8, Amy Goodman, TruthDig, The US War on Journalists
5/8, Steve Moss, The Guardian (UK), DIY Journalist Dahr Jamail: 'I Wanted to Report on Where The Silence Was'
5/8, Marjorie Cohn, Common Dreams, From the Department of Justice to Guantánamo Bay: Administration Lawyers and Administration Interrogation Rules
5/8, Russ Feingold, Los Angeles Times, Government in Secret
5/8, Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, Online Library Gets FBI To Back Off On National Security Letter
Grassroots News:
2/22, David Swanson, OpEdNews, Public Forum Planned on Vermont Proposal to Arrest Bush, Cheney
2/20, Kevin Wack, Portland Press Herald, Collins Anti-Terrorism Bill Sparks Protest
2/6, Bob Audette, Common Dreams, Tide Turns to Positive as Emails Flood Town Offices In Support of Resolution to Indict Bush/Cheney
1/31, Karen Dolan, Foreign Policy In Focus, Foreign Policy Goes Local
1/12, Felix Barrett, San Francisco Indymedia, Protests Against Guantanamo Torture Camp
1/12, Chad Jones, Pegasus News (Texas), Dallas activists join international protest against Guantanamo Bay prison
