Revised House Anti-Terrorism Bill Threaten Civil Liberties;
ACLU Urges Representatives to Defeat Legislation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 13, 1996
WASHINGTON -- Reacting to the passage of the Barr Amendment to the
anti-terrorism legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union today
warned that the revised bill now being considered continues to threaten
personal freedom and civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism.
By a vote of 246-171, the House today approved an amendment by Rep. Bob
Barr, R-GA, that supposedly stripped most of the so-called
counter-terrorism provisions from the legislation.
But ACLU Legislative Counsel Gregory T. Nojeim, who has been following
the legislation, said that even with passage of the Barr amendment, the
bill would continues to present serious civil liberties problems, including:
-- A "green light" for FBI investigations of activities protected by the
First Amendment.
-- The destruction of the writ of habeas corpus, which permits federal
courts to review potential miscarriages of justice and mistaken
incarceration.
-- An overbroad definition of terrorism that would raise the possibility
of improper and arbitrary labeling of political groups as "terrorist."
-- Harmful immigration provisions that have nothing to do with fighting
terrorism.
Nojeim added that many of the provisions removed by adoption of the Barr
Amendment are contained in other legislation pending in the House,
leading to speculation that the House Republicans are engaged in a huge
bait and switch operation. For example, Nojeim said, the immigration bill
now being debated in the House would allow the government to use secret
evidence in deportation proceedings. And the State Department
Authorization bill would make mere membership in a group designated as
"terrorist" grounds for exclusion from the United States.
"We remain convinced that the federal government already has the power it
needs to combat terrorism," Nojeim said. "The House must heed the voice
of the people and reject this legislation that will do nothing to make us
safer, but will go far in making us less free."
Transmitted: 3/16/96 8:19 PM (n031396b)
--
Stanton McCandlish
mech@eff.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Online Activist