Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell says it looks like the Patriot Act will be renewed when it comes up in the House for a vote. The Patriot Act was passed in the wake of September 11th to give U.S. intelligence agencies more power — and the use of that power has become controversial. Boswell, a democrat, says he offered an amendment to require more review of wire taps used under the act. Boswell says the renewal includes another clause so the act doesn’t become permanent. He says that will force a review of the act, and allows Congress to review it carefully again like they’re doing this time. Boswell, who is on the House Intelligence Committee, says they’re trying to walk a fine line when it comes to the Patriot Act. “You know, it’s like a carpenter, you got to have the tools to do your job. Well, people are out there gathering intelligence on us and trying to protect us and have got to have their tools. But, we don’t want them to have excessive tools to the point that we’re disturbing what we call our constitutional rights,” the congressman says. Boswell says there are several other changes being proposed, but he thinks the Patriot Act will be much the same as it was when first implemented. The U.S. House is expected to take a vote on renewing the Patriot Act sometime this week.
