Sample Jan. 25, 2006 Call-in Day Email Message
Urgent action needed to repair the USA PATRIOT Act.
In December 2005, a bipartisan group of senators filibuster to stop the passage of a PATRIOT Act reauthorization bill that did not protect civil liberties. Congress will take further action by February 3, 2006, to extend 16 PATRIOT Act provisions that will otherwise expire.
What to do: On Wednesday, January 25th, please phone both your Senators and your Representative and ask them to ensure protection of civil liberties by supporting provisions in the Senate version of the PATRIOT Act reauthorization bill.
More talking points: If you want to make additional points, here are a few suggestions:
- Prevent the FBI from “fishing” through our private purchase, medical, and library records by requiring a statement of fact linking persons whose records are sought to a terrorism investigation.
- Allow businesses and libraries to pose a meaningful challenge to a FISA Court order or a National Security Letter demanding customer records.
- In light of warrantless wiretapping of domestic email and phone communications authorized by the president, make sure there are sufficient privacy safeguards and oversight on all parts of the PATRIOT Act involving the executive branch (which includes the Department of Justice and the FBI).
- Protect our first amendment rights by removing a proposed provision that would subject anyone who protests in cordoned-off areas at presidential appearances to prison sentences up to 10 years.
- Eliminate proposed new death penalties from the reauthorization.
Find phone numbers:
- Go through the Capitol switchboard (Dial 202-224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you 24 hours a day) or
- Enter your zip code here http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ to find your legislators' direct Washington office phone numbers. To find their district office numbers, click on their names or call your local library.
Can't get through right away? Many people must be phoning Congress. Keep your calls coming! If you prefer not to wait, call the next day or phone the district office.
Find more info at the Bill of Rights Defense Committee web site: http://bordc.org/threats/call-in.php.
Other organizations supporting the call-in day (partial
list) include the American Civil Liberties Union, American Library
Association, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Council
on American-Islamic Relations, Global Exchange, National Lawyers Guild,
Liberty Coalition, MoveOn.org, Unitarian Universalist Association,
and United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America.