Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 20:20:45 -0500 (EST) From: belmonte@MIT.EDU (Matthew Belmonte) To: senator@kennedy.senate.gov, john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov Subject: support SA 59 limiting Total Information Awareness I hope that you'll support the Wyden Amendment (SA 59) to the continuing appropriations resolution (HJRes 2) currently under consideration in the Senate. This measure would limit the development and deployment of John Poindexter's Total Information Awareness program, which aims to apply data-mining to identify people suspected of plotting crimes. In particular, the Wyden Amendment would require the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the CIA to report on the specific aims and anticipated effects of each element of the Total Information Awareness initiative, and would prohibit the use of this technology within the United States in the absence of specific authorisation from Congress. This data-mining technology inevitably relies on circumstance and probability, and therefore will finger innocent people and subject them to unfair scrutiny and invasions of privacy. As you know, John Poindexter's previous responsibilities in government consisted of perjury and destruction of evidence during his attempts to cover up the Iran-Contra affair as National Security Advisor in the Reagan Administration. This record does not inspire trust. Matthew Belmonte [address]