Issues and Action

ACTION ALERT

LWV Action Alert:  Urge your Legislators to Support a Resolution Affirming Civil Rights and Liberties (H.1881)

The Resolution Affirming the Civil Rights and Liberties of the People of Massachusetts (H.1881) is at last on the legislative calendar. It could come to a vote at any time. With the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act due to take place by February 3, Massachusetts can send a message to Washington saying the Patriot Act must be fixed to restore checks and balances. Your action is urgently needed!

Please call or email your senator and representative immediately to urge a favorable vote on this Resolution.

H.1881 would put the Legislature on record calling for a reexamination of the Patriot Act. Passing the Resolution Affirming the Civil Right and Liberties of the People of Massachusetts affirms the need to work together to preserve the greatest degree of civil liberty in the fight against terrorism.

This Resolution would tell Congress that we do not need to expand the Patriot Act. Instead, we need to pull it back in line with the Constitution. The Patriot Act can be reformed to give the government the power it needs to keep the nation safe, while ensuring that its power is not abused.

At this critical time H.1881 is more needed than ever, given recent revelations about surveillance without a warrant of US citizens in violation of the law. The Massachusetts legislature should take a stand for basic Constitutional rights and join the seven states that have already passed similar resolutions.

In Massachusetts, 53 cities and towns have passed civil liberties resolutions, and more than 104,000 Massachusetts citizens voted at the 2004 election to ask the legislature to pass a resolution supporting civil liberties and urging Congress to fix the USA Patriot Act. Wherever this “Safe and Free” referendum question appeared on the ballot in the Commonwealth, it was overwhelmingly supported.  

If you have called before about this matter, please call again.  If you don’t know who your state representative or senator is, go to www.wheredoivotema.com.  You can get their phone numbers from www.mass.gov/legis or call the State House at 617 722-2000.