At Gonzales swearing-in, Bush urges renewal of Patriot Act News
At Gonzales swearing-in, Bush urges renewal of Patriot Act

[JURIST] President Bush on Monday urged Congress to re-authorize the USA Patriot Act, the widely-criticized legislation passed in the wake of September 11. "We must not allow the passage of time or the illusion of safety to weaken our resolve in this new war," said Bush while attending the formal swearing-in ceremony of new Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. [CBS report] Civil liberties groups and privacy advocates have attacked the Act for the restrictions it places on citizens, and the intrusive powers given to government. However, Bush argued that the Act "has been vital to our success in tracking terrorists and disrupting their plans." Many key elements of the Patriot Act are set to expire at the end of this year, and may only be renewed through an act of Congress. AP has more. A transcript of President Bush's remarks is available from the White House website.