Campaign for Reader Privacy Criticizes House Reauthorization Bill

The Campaign for Reader Privacy -- the American Booksellers Association (ABA), PEN American Center, the American Library Association, and the Association of American Publishers -- criticized the House Judiciary Committee for failing to restore safeguards for reader privacy when it approved a bill reauthorizing the expiring sections of the USA Patriot Act. The committee rejected almost all of the amendments to Section 215 that were offered during a "markup" session, including a comprehensive measure presented by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). The committee action came less than three weeks after the House voted 238-187 to cut off funds for bookstore and library searches under Section 215.

"We are disappointed that the House Judiciary Committee has ignored the will of the substantial majority of House members who voted last month to restore the safeguards for reader privacy," said Oren Teicher, the ABA's chief operating officer. "We will continue to push for further safeguards on the House floor and in the Senate." Read more about the House bill here.
 

Critical Week for Reader Privacy Looms in House and Senate

The Campaign for Reader Privacy will join ACLU and other civil liberties groups in making a final push to get their members to contact House representatives in advance of the vote on the reauthorization bill. It is unclear what amendments will be offered on the floor, so organizations are urging people to express support for all efforts to strengthen the reader privacy provisions of the bill, H.B. 3199. ABA and ALA will be sending out special action alerts soon.

The same message will be sent to the Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet to consider a reauthorization bill introduced by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), S. 1389. Specter's bill includes a number of changes to Section 215 that make it preferable to the House bill, including a provision requiring the Justice Department to annually report the number of Section 215 orders that have been served on bookstores and libraries. S. 1389 also requires the FBI director or his deputy to approve all requests for bookstore and library searches under Section 215.

However, like the House bill, S. 1389 allows the FBI to obtain a search order without showing that the person whose records are sought is suspected of any crime. The Campaign for Reader Privacy wants to limit searches under Section 215 to suspected terrorists and spies. ABA joined other groups in urging Specter and other judiciary committee members to support the Security and Freedom Enhancement (SAFE) Act, S. 737, which contains this requirement. To read the letter, click here.
 

ABFFE Opposes School Library Censorship in Arkansas

ABFFE joined the National Coalition Against Censorship, PEN American Center, the Association of American Publishers and the National Council of Teachers of English in opposing censorship efforts in an Arkansas school district that have already led to the removal from school libraries of three books on human sexuality and sexual health--Jeremy Daldry's "Teenage Guy's Survival Guide" and two books by Robie Harris, "It's So Amazing" and "It's Perfectly Normal." The books were removed in Fayetteville at the request of a parent, Laurie Taylor, who is also demanding that school officials require parental approval before allowing students to read one of 70 books that she feels are "harmful."

ABFFE joined the other groups in sending a letter to school officials. "Parents like Laurie Taylor are free to direct their own children's reading choices, but not to force their values, judgments and preferences on others," they wrote. "We urge you to carefully consider your constitutional responsibilities not to censor certain views, facts and ideas, but instead to provide students in your district with access to the range of information and ideas to which their peers around the country are exposed." To read the letter, click here.