I urge you to join your colleague Senator Kerry in co-sponsoring S.737, the
Security and Freedom Enhancement (SAFE) Act.  This bill is currently under
consideration by the Judiciary Committee, on which you sit.

Three and a half years ago, you made the mistake of voting for the USA PATRIOT
Act, a law that permits the government to collect information about the books
that I read, the telephone conversations that I have, the products that I
purchase, and the details of my personal finances.  With little or no judicial
review, government agents can now obtain many types of my personal records --
communications, educational, medical, financial, sales, library and others --
even if they have no probable cause to believe that I personally have been
involved in any crime.

S.737 would restore judicial checks and balances in the context of the USA
PATRIOT Act.  Requests for roving wiretaps would no longer be unlimited in
context, but would have to specify a particular person or place as the target
of surveillance.  Delayed notification of the execution of search warrants, a
practice currently allowed by the USA PATRIOT Act even in investigations that
have nothing to do with terrorism, would be restricted to cases in which there
is demonstrable risk of physical harm to an individual, flight from
prosecution, destruction of evidence, or intimidation of witnesses.
Administrative subpoenas would be curtailed and would be opened to challenge
from the subjects of the subpoenas.  Reporting on the use of USA PATRIOT Act
powers would be increased.

These changes to existing law would partially restore the freedoms erased by
the USA PATRIOT Act.  I hope you will at least belatedly recognise that freedom
cannot be protected by totalitarian means, and that you will add your voice in
support of the SAFE Act.