Patriot Act

The USA PATRIOT Act, more commonly known as the Patriot Act, was an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush. This paper will review and analyze the stance of the government and where government is in the passing and regulation of the legislation, the original legislation as it was put into law, litigation that questioned and expressed concern about the constitutionality of Patriot Act and subsequent legislation due to the outcome of some of those lawsuits. The Patriot Act, like any piece of legislation, was a reaction to events that questioned what the government’s role should be in differentiating between individual and societal rights. Due to the spectrum of information covered in the Patriot Act, this paper will reflect the process of government in only a few of the more controversial aspects of the bill. The term USA PATRIOT Act stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. The Patriot Act was implemented in response to the fear and widespread panic that engulfed the Nation after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The Patriot Act was originally meant “To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.” The Patriot Act is a vast encompassing piece of legislation. It examined more closely how financial transactions and institutions were regulated in the United States. Additionally, it extended the discretion of law enforcement at all levels in detaining and deporting suspected terrorists, and expanded the definition of terrorism to what we perceive it as today. The Patriot Act had a profound impact in curtailing American civil liberties. The Patriot Act was written by Viet D. Dinh, the Assistant Attorney General of the United States, and originally presented to Congress by Representative Jim Sensenbrenner. Congress