Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act
The Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act (H.R. 3171) is a bill that looks to review the previously passed USA Patriot Act.The bill is sponsored by Representatives Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and Ron Paul (R-Texas), and has 27 co-sponsors, all of whom are Democratic (except Paul, who votes ideologically liberal on most substantive issues). It is opposed to the conservative USA PATRIOT Act. It looks into reviewing the latter act to make sure it does not "inappropriately undermine civil liberties". Its naming, as described in Sec. 2, No. 1, regards Benjamin Franklin's famous quote, "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
The act would create a 90 day review period, in which parts of the PATRIOT Act could be removed from Sections 4-10. After 90 days, the remaining segments in those sections would cease to have effect. Specific provisions that are named include the "sneak and peak searches" (probably a spelling error), naturalization issues, attorney-client privilege, and secrecy orders (involving the Freedom of Information Act). This generally liberal bill was presented to the House on September 24, 2003, and has not been voted upon as of yet. It has many important supporters, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the NAACP, and other such organizations.