Support the Freedom to Read Amendment



Within
the next few days, Congress will vote on a bipartisan proposal to
protect the freedom to read threatened by the USA PATRIOT Act.



When the
PATRIOT Act was rushed through Congress soon after 9/11, one of the
little noticed provisions was section 215 which severely expands the
scope of materials the FBI can access with a warrant from the secret
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court. In short, the FBI can demand
that bookstores and libraries hand over lists of all of their patrons
and what books they’ve purchased or borrowed. Adding insult to injury,
it also prevents bookstore owners and librarians from telling patrons
they're being watched or searched.



The
proposed amendment would prohibit the Department of Justice from using
any money in their budget to search a library or bookseller using the
wide-sweeping powers granted under section 215 of the PATRIOT Act. The
amendment would restore and protect the privacy and First Amendment
rights of library and bookstore patrons which were in place before the
USA PATRIOT Act.



The vote
on the Freedom to Read Amendment will happen as early as the afternoon
of Wednesday, July 7. Please contact your representative immediately
and ask him to support the Freedom to Read Amendment to protect
Americans' civil rights and freedom to read.



Click here to take action!