AAP on the Hill / Issues: First Amendment

September 01, 2003

House Resoundingly Rejects Patriot Act “Sneak and Peek” Searches

On July 22, the House overwhelmingly approved a provision limiting the power of the FBI to conduct so-called “sneak and peek” searches under the USA Patriot Act.  The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Butch Otter (R-ID), blocks the use of funds to implement Section 213, which allows federal agents to conduct searches without the subject’s knowledge.  The resounding approval of the Otter amendment (the vote was 309 to 118) helped soften the disappointment that another amendment, put forward by Rep. Bernie Sanders (with support from Reps. Otter and John Conyers of Michigan) which would have denied DOJ funding for Section 215 searches of library and bookstore records, was prevented by procedural restrictions from coming to the floor for a vote.

For more information contact:

Judith Platt
Email: jplatt@publishers.org