As Congress prepares to adjourn for its summer recess, there are signs that many of its members are ready to amend portions of the USA Patriot Act that threaten civil liberties, including the section that authorizes secret searches of the book purchase and borrowing records of Americans. On July 22, the House of Representatives voted 309-118 to bar the FBI from conducting "sneak and peak" searches of private property. These searches were authorized by the Patriot Act, and the vote to bar them marks the first time either house of Congress has shown interest in reining in the vast surveillance powers that were given to the FBI after the September 11 attacks. The amendment was sponsored by C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-ID).

The vote on the "sneak and peak" warrants was a promising sign for the Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157), the bill that restores the protections for the privacy of bookstore and library records that were stripped away by the Patriot Act. At the same session at which the Otter amendment was approved, Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the author of H.R. 1157, planned to offer an amendment cutting off funds for searches of bookstore and library records under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. However, a procedural problem prevented a vote on the amendment. If it had been considered, it seems likely that it would have passed along with the Otter amendment.

H.R. 1157 is co-sponsored by 130 House members. The vote on the Otter amendment revealed that as many as 179 other representatives believe that some provisions of the Patriot Act threaten civil liberties. Supporters of H.R. 1157 intend to make a strong bid to recruit them as co-sponsors of the Freedom to Read Protection Act. To see a full list of the sponsors of H.R. 1157, use this link, http://news.bookweb.org/freeexpression/1257.html.

ABFFE has joined five free expression groups in demanding that the All-American Soap Box Derby cease efforts to censor a new history of the Derby, "Champions, Cheaters and Childhood Dreams: Memories of the All-American Soap Box Derby," by Melanie Payne. In a letter to Roy Hartz, the chairman of the Derby's board of trustees, the groups charged that at least one Derby official had attempted to pressure the publisher of the book, the University of Akron Press, to make changes in its title and contents. In addition, Derby officials are now reportedly refusing to permit the book to be sold at the national championship in Akron tomorrow.

"One of the major purposes of the All-American Soap Box Derby is to demonstrate to young people the importance of ‘the spirit of competition.' We urge the Derby to set an example for its contestants by demonstrating a tolerance for the competition of ideas," the letter said. It was signed by the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Center for First Amendment Rights, Feminists for Free Expression, the Freedom to Read Foundation, the National Coalition Against Censorship, the Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, and PEN American Center. A press release is available at http://www.freeexpression.org/newswire/0716_2003.htm.

Banned Books Week will be celebrated this year during the week of Sept. 20-27. To help you promote the freedom to read, ABFFE has developed a number of products using the fREADom logo that it introduced to rave reviews at this year's BookExpo America. You can order buttons, T-shirts, bumper stickers and paper stickers by calling ABFFE or ordering online at https://www.abffe.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv. ABFFE members receive a significant discount. If you're not a member already, join today and help us defend the freedom to read. Call ABFFE at (212)587-4025 or e-mail Caitlin Delohery.

Normally, ABFFE makes Banned Books Week kits available for free to all members of the American Booksellers Association who request them. The kit includes three posters and a list of books that were challenged over the last year (including Harry Potter!). Unfortunately, budget constraints make it impossible for ABFFE to distribute the kits for free this year. This year's kit may be ordered from the American Library Association for $29 by using the the link at the bottom of ABFFE's Banned Books page, http://www.abffe.com/banned.htm. You can also call Jen Hammond at the American Library Association, (800) 545-2433 , ext. 4220. We are hopeful that ABFFE will be able to resume the free distribution of the kits next year.