American Library Association (ALA) urges open rule in House PATRIOT vote
For Immediate Release
July 20, 2005
Contact: Bernadette Murphy
(202) 628-8410
bmurphy@alawash.org
American Library Association (ALA) urges open rule in House PATRIOT vote
(WASHINGTON) Today the American Library Association responded to Rep. Sensenbrenner’s plea for bi-partisan support of the USA PATRIOT Act reauthorization bill by urging House leaders to adopt an open rule for the legislation’s debate, scheduled to begin Thursday, July 21.
Republican House leaders held a press briefing Wednesday, at which they urged members of the House to come together in a bi-partisan effort to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act. The American Library Association, which has fought to restore protections to library records compromised by section 215 of the Patriot Act, commended Rep. Sensenbrenner’s desire for bi-partisan cooperation on the bill, and maintained that the best way to ensure cooperation was
to allow all points of view to be discussed during the bill’s debate. “The USA PATRIOT Act is an extremely important issue to the American people,” said Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the ALA Washington Office. “The only way the country will come together on this issue is if all points of view are heard. An open rule is essential to ensuring that this happens.”