Bush decries Democrats for stalling Patriot Act

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President George W. Bush called on
Senate Democrats on Wednesday to reauthorize key anti-terrorism
legislation, saying it was “inexcusable” to block renewal of
the law in the face of terrorist threats.

“In order to protect America, the United States Senate must
reauthorize the Patriot Act,” Bush said on the White House
South Lawn before departing to meet with injured troops at a
Naval hospital in suburban Bethesda, Maryland.

“This obstruction is inexcusable,” he said of Senate
Democrats who are using a procedural maneuver known as a
filibuster to block renewal of provisions of the law.

Bush’s Republican allies in the Senate appeared ready to
let key provisions of the law expire and blamed Democrats who
have blocked a renewal in a bid for more civil-liberties
safeguards.

If these provisions of the USA Patriot Act expire on
December 31, as scheduled, the Republican-led Senate could take
another crack at renewing them as soon as Congress begins a new
year in January, congressional aides said.

“The terrorist threat is not going to expire at the end of
this year,” Bush said.

“The senators obstructing the Patriot Act need to
understand that the expiration of this vital law will endanger
America and will leave us in a weaker position in the fight
against brutal killers,” he added.

Democrats have proposed a three-month extension to provide
time to resolve differences. But the White House and Republican
congressional leaders have rejected such a move, saying the
proposed renewal would make improvements in civil liberties.
Critics have countered that the improvements are insufficient.

The act is a centerpiece of Bush’s response to the
September 11 attacks. Debate over renewing the provisions has
escalated with revelations last week that Bush authorized
spying without warrants on Americans suspected of having ties
to terrorists.

Provisions up for renewal include ones involving wiretaps,
access to library and business records and information-sharing
by law enforcement and intelligence authorities.

The House of Representatives last week voted to renew the
provisions, but that bill has been blocked in the
Republican-led Senate.

A bid to end the procedural roadblock and move to passage
of the measure fell eight votes short of the needed 60 in the
100-member Senate last week, with a few Republicans joining
most Democrats in opposing it.