Date: Thu, 13  Nov  2003 19:20:17 -0500
From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@mit.edu>
Subject: oppose HR 2417, the Intelligence Authorization Act

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Senator Kennedy
Senator Kerry
Representative Capuano
Message text follows:

Matthew Belmonte
[address]


November 13, 2003

[recipient address was inserted here]


 [recipient name was inserted here],

I urge you to vote against the Intelligence
Authorization Act (H.R. 2417) because it would give government law
enforcement agents expanded access to sensitive private information
without any judicial review.  I strongly believe that there should be
proper checks and balances over government investigations.

This proposed legislation would give agents of government new powers to
force businesses and other institutions to turn over their customer
records, without informing the customers to whom the records pertain, and
without any suspicion that the individual is involved in a crime.

These new powers are not necessary to combat terrorism.  The government
can already obtain this information through the use of subpoenas and
national security letters.  The proposed language would simply remove
court oversight and keep the searches secret from the individuals being
investigated.  I cannot support the government undertaking secret searches
in the absence of court approval and individual suspicion.

Once again, I urge you to protect privacy and ensure proper oversight of
government investigations by voting against the Intelligence Authorization
Act in its current form.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Sincerely,


Matthew Belmonte