Daniel Akaka- HI, Tom Harkin- IA, Carl Levin-MI, Jeff Bingamin-NM, Ron Wyden-OR, Jim Jeffords-VT, Patrick Leahy-VT, Patty Murray-WA, Russ Feingold-WI, and Robert Byrd-WV all voted against the renewal of the Patriot Act. Daniel Inouye-HI did not vote. The other 89 senators voted ‘aye’.
The bill, which extends 16 provisions of the USA Patriot Act (14 permanently and two through 2009), now goes to the House, which will act on it next week. That chamber has already approved the general measure, but it must vote again to accommodate the late changes put in by the Senate.
Since a majority of House members support the Patriot Act — and since the House procedures do not include a filibuster, under which a minority of lawmakers can stall legislation — passage in the House is certain, barring an extraordinary shift in sentiment in the days just ahead.
History will remember these 10 brave politicians that attempted to make amendments to this totalitarian bill and, when they were stymied, had the guts to oppose it.
