{"id":1218,"date":"2001-10-26T10:48:00","date_gmt":"2001-10-26T15:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robandjen.com\/jen\/2001\/10\/26\/look-out-kids-here-it-comes\/"},"modified":"2001-10-26T10:48:00","modified_gmt":"2001-10-26T15:48:00","slug":"look-out-kids-here-it-comes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robandjen.com\/jen\/2001\/10\/26\/look-out-kids-here-it-comes\/","title":{"rendered":"Look out kids. Here it comes."},"content":{"rendered":"

Terror Act Has Lasting Effects<\/a><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON — Legislators who sent a sweeping anti-terrorism bill to President Bush this week proudly say that the most controversial surveillance sections will expire in 2005.<\/p>\n

Senate Judiciary chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) said that a four-year expiration date “will be crucial in making sure that these new law enforcement powers are not abused.” In the House, Bob Barr (R-Georgia) stressed that “we take very seriously the sunset provisions in this bill.”<\/p>\n

But the Dec. 2005 expiration date embedded in the USA Act — which the Senate approved 98 to 1 on Thursday — applies only to a tiny part of the mammoth bill. <\/i><\/p>\n

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After the president signs the measure on Friday, police will have the permanent ability to conduct Internet surveillance without a court order in some circumstances, secretly search homes and offices without notifying the owner, and share confidential grand jury information with the CIA.<\/p>\n

Also exempt from the expiration date are investigations underway by Dec. 2005, and any future investigations of crimes that took place before that date.<\/p>\n

<snip><\/p>\n

Other sections of the USA Act, which the House approved by a 357 to 66 vote on Wednesday, that do not expire include the following:<\/p>\n