WASHINGTON – U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller (MI-10) today voted for extending key provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 for one year. Congresswoman Miller issued the following statement:

“The provisions in the Patriot Act provide critical tools to our national security and law enforcement agents to better combat terrorism and protect our nation,” Miller said. “Today’s extension will ensure that we continue to detect, track and apprehend al Qaeda and other terrorists who wish to do harm against our citizens. Just as recent as Christmas Day, we were reminded that we are still at war with terrorists who are engaged in an illegal war with our nation. We have a responsibility to make certain every necessary step is taken to keep our nation safe.”

The three provisions of the PATRIOT Act which are now extended until February 28, 2011 are:
• Provision to allow the FBI to apply to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) court for an order granting access to tangible items, such as books, records, papers, and other documents relating to foreign intelligence, international terrorism and clandestine intelligence cases (Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act)
• Provision which authorizes the FISA court to order multipoint or "roving" wiretaps for foreign intelligence investigations. A "roving" wiretap applies to an individual and allows the government to use a single wiretap order to cover any communications device that the suspect uses or may use. This type of wiretap differs from a traditional criminal wiretap that only applies to a particular phone or computer used by a target. Without roving wiretap authority, investigators would be forced to seek a new court order each time they need to change the location, phone or computer that needs to be monitored. (Section 206 of the PATRIOT Act)
• Provision which amends the definition of "agent of a foreign power" to include individual foreign terrorists who may not be directly affiliated with a foreign power or international terrorist organization. This provision would cover terrorists who work on their own cannot escape surveillance simply because they are not agents of a foreign power or avowed members of an international terrorist group. This provision does not apply to U.S. Citizens. (Section 6001 of Intelligence Reform Act)

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