Battle Over PATRIOT Re-authorization Resumes

The American Booksellers Association (ABA) urged booksellers Thursday to renew their fight to restore the safeguards for reader privacy that were eliminated by the USA PATRIOT Act. In a letter published in "Bookselling This Week," Oren J. Teicher, ABA's chief operating officer, asked booksellers to immediately contact their representatives in Congress. "Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act is set to expire on Feb. 3, and once again ABA and its partners in the Campaign for Reader Privacy need your help," Teicher wrote. To read Teicher's letter, click here.

Shortly before Christmas, reader privacy advocates in the Senate blocked legislation that would have re-authorized Section 215 because it lacked adequate safeguards. Because Section 215 was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, both sides agreed to extend it until Feb. 3 to permit negotiations to continue. The House has scheduled a vote for Feb. 1. The Senate vote must occur before midnight on Feb. 3.

Teicher said booksellers should urge House members and Senators to press for the the reader privacy provisions of the Senate re-authorization bill because the House version, H.R. 3199, authorizes the FBI to search the bookstore and library records of anyone it believes may be "relevant" to a terrorist investigation, including people who are not suspected of any criminal activity. The Senate bill limits searches to the records of people suspected of terrorism.

Campaign for Reader Privacy Writes Congress

ABA last week joined its allies in the Campaign for Reader Privacy--the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers and PEN American Center--in sending a letter to members of Congress that outlined the essential provisions that any re-authorization legislation must contain in order to protect reader privacy. They include:

	A requirement that the FBI demonstrate that the person whose records are sought is suspected of terrorism;
	A provision authorizing booksellers and librarians to challenge overly broad Section 215 orders in court; and
	A limit on the gag orders that are imposed on booksellers and librarians who receive Section 215 orders.

Click here to read the CRP letter.

Working Assets to Contribute to ABFFE

Working Assets, the San Francisco-based company that offers long distance, credit card and wireless services, announced in early January that it will make a donation to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) in 2006. Every year, Working Assets contributes to 50 non-profit organizations that work for social change. In 2005, it gave nearly $4 million to groups in five categories: economic and social justice; environment; peace and international freedom; and education and freedom of expression. It has contributed over $50 million since 1985.

Working Assets customers vote to determine how the money will be divided. If you are a Working Assets customer and wish to help support ABFFE, you can fill out your ballot by clicking here. ABFFE's name appears in the "education and freedom of expression" section.