Patriot Act

The USA Patriot Act is an extensive piece of legislation, passed in 2001, consisting of amendments to many other laws. Its official name is Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. A similar bill, the USA Act was introduced to Congress earlier the same year, but it failed to pass. However, after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Congress was much more receptive to increasing law enforcement capabilities, and passed the Patriot Act with virtually no debate.


Among other things, the law extends law enforcement capabilities in terms of searches and wiretapping, and includes provisions for gag orders. This means that the subject of a search, the media, or anyone else cannot be informed that the search took place. These provisions have been lauded by some and criticized by others. Two of the most vocal opponents to the Act have been the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Library Association (ALA).

This electronic pathfinder provides links to information about the Patriot Act, including the bill itself and related documents, as well as a variety of sources on both sides of the debate.