Today, the U.S. House passed H.R. 3199, the USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2005. The bill reauthorizes the PATRIOT Act which was designed to foster a more effective domestic War on Terror. Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) voted for the bill.

The USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2005 reauthorizes the PATRIOT Act, which originally passed in 2001. The bill removes major legal barriers that prevent the law enforcement, intelligence, and national defense communities from coordinating their work. It also allows law enforcement to use surveillance against more terror-related activities and allowed the authorization of nationwide search warrants.

“The PATRIOT Act provides law enforcement and national security professionals with the tools they need to best protect our homeland,” said Congressman McHenry. “This legislation will better enable those fighting the War on Terror here at home to root out and prosecute those who would do harm to our citizens.”

Many methods that federal and state law enforcement officials have been using to fight terrorism are outdated because of the massive advances in information and telecommunications technology in recent years. The USA PATRIOT Act updates the law to reflect new technologies and new threats, and increases penalties for those who commit terrorist crimes and those who harbor terrorists.

“Now, the FBI, federal prosecutors, and others can go after terrorists with the same tools they have used for decades to successfully fight organized crime and drug dealers,” continued Congressman McHenry. “The USA PATRIOT Act is a no-nonsense anti-terror provision that will protect America without needlessly encroaching on our civil liberties.”

The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate, where action is expected in the coming months. President Bush has been pushing Congress to pass the legislation in a timely manner.

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