John,

The attack at The U.S. Capitol earlier this month was horrifying. But some legislators are exploiting the attack to push forward policies to expand government surveillance.¹

We need to be clear: These attacks were not an intelligence failure, and additional surveillance wouldn’t have prevented them. We do not need another Patriot Act and we don’t need increased government surveillance.

Sign the petition and tell lawmakers: no increased surveillance in response to the attack at The Capitol.

TAKE ACTION

We’ve seen in the past what can happen when Congress acts in moments of crisis to expand government surveillance powers: from the creation of the House Un-American Activities Committee and the FBI’s Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO), to the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, these misguided actions infringe on our civil liberties and do more harm than good.

The only way to stop Congress from passing a Patriot Act 2.0 is to remain vigilant. You can add your name to this petition to oppose efforts by lawmakers to expand mass surveillance programs, increase funding for the FBI and law enforcement, install backdoors in encrypted messaging apps, pass a new domestic terrorism law, or arm police with more technology like facial recognition and social media monitoring software.

Decisions are happening now, and Congress wants to act quickly to respond to the attacks. That’s why it’s so critical that you take action now and urge your lawmakers to prioritise protecting our civil rights, and oppose any legislation that would expand government and law enforcement surveillance.

Together,

Caitlin at Fight for the Future

Foonotes:

1. The Intercept: https://theintercept.com/2021/01/10/capitol-hill-riot-domestic-terrorism-legislation/

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