Date: Thu, 27  Feb  2003 12:40:27 -0500
From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@mit.edu>
Subject: stop the Domestic Security Enhancement Act

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Rep. Capuano
Sen. Kennedy
Sen. Kerry
Message text follows:

Matthew Belmonte
[address]


February 27, 2003

[recipient address was inserted here]


 [recipient name was inserted here],

I urge you to oppose any efforts by Attorney General 
John Ashcroft to pass his proposed “Domestic Security Enhancement Act” in 
Congress.  I am deeply concerned that rather than passing this new Act — 
which would give new and even more controversial powers than the “USA 
PATRIOT Act” - Congress should instead investigate and oversee ways in 
which this Administration has already used or misused new powers. 

The Ashcroft proposal gives police and intelligence agencies a multitude 
of new and sweeping powers, many of which are not directly related to 
counter-terrorism efforts.  These powers would severely undermine 
constitutional rights and checks and balances.  

If adopted, the bill would diminish personal privacy by removing important 
checks on government surveillance authority, would reduce the 
accountability of government to the public by increasing government 
secrecy, would expand on the definition of "terrorism" in a manner that 
threatens freedom of expression and freedom of association, and seriously 
erode the right of all persons to due process of law.

I am very concerned that already under the USA PATRIOT Act, this 
government has compiled unprecedented powers to violate civil liberties 
and tap deep into the private lives of innocent Americans.  Congress must 
not accept new legislation that threatens civil liberties in the name of 
security against terrorism.  Such a development would sacrifice the very 
values for which the United States professes to stand.

In its role representing the people, Congress should now step in and block 
any efforts to pass additional legislation intruding on our core liberties 
and rights.  At the same time, I also believe it is the duty of Congress 
to force the Administration to account for the ways in which it has 
already used its new powers under the USA Patriot Act.  To this end, I 
hope that you will take every opportunity to support oversight hearings 
into the ways in which the government has used its new powers.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this important matter.

Sincerely,


Matthew Belmonte