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GRAY PANTHERS
of San Francisco

Patriot Act II

Since the Domestic Security Enhancement Act (A.K.A. Patriot II) was leaked, it has not been introduced, perhaps due to the growing public opposition to erosion of rights and liberties. Now legislators are introducing new legislation that threatens civil liberties and rights. So far several pieces of legislation have been introduced. President Bush endorses all of these measures. The new legislation:

·        Allows authorities in terrorist investigations to issue subpoenas without going to grand juries.

·        Allows for the denial of bail for anyone the Administration names a terrorism suspect.

·        Imposes the death penalty for so-called terrorist crimes.

The proposals for administrative subpoenas and denial of bail would further upset the balance of power by expanding the Administration's powers and reducing those of the judiciary and the grand jury. Imposing the death penalty would virtually guarantee that countries without a death penalty would refuse to extradite suspected terrorists to the United States.