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The Homeland Security Department threw its weight behind reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act Wednesday, saying agency operations will be hurt without key provisions of the law.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff joined Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for a press conference marking a final attempt to urge senators to reauthorize 16 key provisions of the 2001 law, which is set to expire at the end of the year.

"If we don't get that work done ... we're going to wake up on Jan. 1, and we will have left some of the most important weapons against terror in the cupboard, unavailable to be used by our front-line defenders," said Chertoff, who helped write the Patriot Act after the Sept. 11 attacks. He was the head of the Justice Department's criminal division at the time.

"I don't question anybody's patriotism, but I do think you've got to stand back and use some common sense and recognize that what we're asking for here is adapting proven tools that have been used responsibly for decades," Chertoff said.

The Senate voted Wednesday night for a six-month extension of the Patriot Act. The House has already voted to reauthorize the act's provisions, but now must take up the Senate legislation.

DHS also circulated a statement Wednesday outlining how the bureaus of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, and the Secret Service benefit from the Patriot Act.

"As a result [of] Patriot Act authorities, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents launched an investigative strategy to target the underlying financial systems that terrorist and other criminal organizations may exploit in raising, moving and storing illicit funds," the statement noted. "For example, new anti-money laundering provisions of the Patriot Act have allowed ICE to launch an unprecedented effort to combat the laundering of funds originating from foreign public corruption, bribery or embezzlement."

Information-sharing provisions in the 2001 law help CBP officers screen international visitors and determine whether an apprehended alien presents a threat to security or public safety, according to the statement.

"The Patriot Act also enhances DHS investigations into the international movement of illicit funds through money transmittal businesses, bulk cash smuggling and cybercrimes," the department added. "The United States Secret Service, for example, has established 15 nationwide electronic crimes task forces and 10 working groups to detect and stop computer-based crime."

COMMENTS

• Using the excuse of 9/11 to override the Constitution is just that -- an excuse. The FISA court allows for retroactive warrants -- I think it was extended from 72 hours to 15 days -- so why can't Bush get approval from the courts? This is just another attempt to circumvent the legislative and judicial branches of the government to allow Bush absolute power. So much for checks and balances; so much for democracy. If they know people are involved in terrorism, arrest them. If they need to wiretap to gather more information, and they have good info that these people are involved, get a warrant -- even retroactively if the need is urgent. A former NSA analyst has stated that this program has spied on millions of Americans, even a peace group. Although considering how incompetent these boobs are in the area of intelligence gathering, there may not be all that much to worry about. "A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." Edward R. Murrow. GovExec.com reader Posted January 19, 2006 1:02 PM
• A flawless argument. They don't play by the rules, so we don't need to play by the rules. They don't respect anyone's rights, so we don't need to respect anyone's rights. They don't care about fair trials, so we don't have to care about fair trials. They don't have a problem torturing or beheading people, so we don't need to feel bad about doing the same. What problem could anyone have with taking moral guidance from terrorists? What could possibly go wrong? Once upon a time, we thought we were better than our enemies. We had leaders who talked about liberty and justice, morality and responsibility. Is anyone even bothering to pretend anymore? Have we sunk this low? I hope not. I hope there are enough people who remember the real America to bring us back from this madness. GovExec.com reader Posted January 19, 2006 1:49 PM
• John Gotti was a U.S. citizen who was tried in a U.S. court for violation of various criminal statutes. He was not a foreign terrorist who hijacks airliners and flies them into office buildings, or explodes car bombs in crowds of innocent people. Like it or not, we are at war, and the enemy is too cowardly to wear a uniform and abide by the Geneva Convention (as evidenced by the savage beheadings of those unfortunate enough to be captured). Since they don't play by the rules, all bets are off. GovExec.com reader Posted January 18, 2006 1:05 PM