SAFE Act
Latest action · Dec 10, 2003 Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedOct 21, 2003
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Security and Freedom Ensured Act of 2003 (SAFE Act) - Amends the USA PATRIOT Act to modify provisions regarding roving wiretaps under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to require that: (1) an order approving an electronic surveillance specify either the identity of the target or the place to be wiretapped; and (2) surveillance be conducted only when the suspect is present at the place to be wiretapped.
Revises provisions governing search warrants authorized under the USA PATRIOT ACT to: (1) limit the authority to delay notice of the issuance of such a search warrant to circumstances where providing immediate notice of the warrant will endanger the life or physical safety of an individual, result in flight from prosecution, or result in the destruction of or tampering with the evidence sought under the warrant; and (2) require such delayed notification to be issued within seven days (currently, within a "reasonable period") after execution, with extensions by the court for additional periods of up to seven calendar days each time that the court finds reasonable cause to believe that notice of the execution of the warrant would have such consequences. Requires the Attorney General, on a semiannual basis, to transmit to Congress and make public a report concerning all requests for delays of notice and for extensions of such delays.
Amends FISA to require, with respect to access by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to business records for foreign intelligence and international terrorism investigations, that there be specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the person to whom the records pertain is a foreign power or agent.
Provides that libraries shall not be treated as wire or electronic communication service providers under provisions granting counterintelligence access to provider subscriber information, toll billing records information, or electronic communication transactional records.
Redefines "domestic terrorism" to mean activities that involve acts dangerous to human life that constitute a Federal crime of terrorism (currently, that violate criminal laws).
Cosponsors 71
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Oct 21, 2003 to Nov 16, 2004; 9 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-MA | Barney Frank | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| I-VT | Bernard Sanders | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| D-OH | Dennis J. Kucinich | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| D-NY | Gregory W. Meeks | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| R-AZ | Jeff Flake | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| D-MI | John Conyers, Jr. | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| R-ID | Michael K. Simpson | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| R-TX | Ron Paul | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| D-NM | Tom Udall | Original | Oct 21, 2003 |
| D-MA | James P. McGovern | Oct 24, 2003 | |
| D-HI | Neil Abercrombie | Oct 24, 2003 | |
| D-WI | Tammy Baldwin | Oct 24, 2003 | |
| R-MI | Vernon J. Ehlers | Oct 24, 2003 | |
| D-MI | Carolyn C. Kilpatrick | Oct 28, 2003 | |
| D-MA | Martin T. Meehan | Oct 29, 2003 | |
| D-AZ | Ed Pastor | Oct 30, 2003 | |
| D-CA | Barbara Lee | Nov 4, 2003 | |
| D-CO | Diana DeGette | Nov 4, 2003 | |
| D-NY | Edolphus Towns | Nov 4, 2003 | |
| D-NY | Louise McIntosh Slaughter | Nov 4, 2003 | |
| D-OR | Darlene Hooley | Nov 5, 2003 | |
| D-MA | John F. Tierney | Nov 5, 2003 | |
| D-CA | Lynn C. Woolsey | Nov 5, 2003 | |
| D-CA | Bob Filner | Nov 17, 2003 | |
| D-DC | Eleanor Holmes Norton | Nov 17, 2003 | |
| D-IL | Janice D. Schakowsky | Nov 17, 2003 | |
| D-MA | John W. Olver | Nov 17, 2003 | |
| D-IN | Julia Carson | Nov 17, 2003 | |
| D-NY | Major R. Owens | Nov 17, 2003 | |
| D-MA | Michael E. Capuano | Nov 17, 2003 | |
| R-FL | Jeff Miller | Nov 19, 2003 | |
| D-NY | Maurice D. Hinchey | Nov 19, 2003 | |
| R-WA | George R. Nethercutt Jr. | Nov 21, 2003 | |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | Dec 8, 2003 | |
| D-MI | John D. Dingell | Dec 8, 2003 | |
| D-CA | Fortney Pete Stark | Jan 20, 2004 | |
| D-OR | Peter A. DeFazio | Jan 20, 2004 | |
| D-IL | Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. | Jan 21, 2004 | |
| D-NY | Charles B. Rangel | Feb 3, 2004 | |
| D-CA | George Miller | Feb 3, 2004 | |
| D-CA | Tom Lantos | Feb 3, 2004 | |
| D-VA | James P. Moran | Feb 10, 2004 | |
| D-CA | Sam Farr | Feb 10, 2004 | |
| D-MI | Dale E. Kildee | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| D-MD | Elijah E. Cummings | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| D-WA | Jim McDermott | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| D-PA | Joseph M. Hoeffel | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| D-CA | Mike Thompson | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| D-CA | Nancy Pelosi | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| D-OH | Stephanie Tubbs Jones | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| D-ME | Thomas H. Allen | Mar 9, 2004 | |
| R-IL | Timothy V. Johnson | Mar 17, 2004 | |
| D-NY | Carolyn B. Maloney | Mar 24, 2004 | |
| D-CA | Michael M. Honda | Mar 24, 2004 | |
| D-CA | Robert T. Matsui | Mar 24, 2004 | |
| D-NJ | Steven R. Rothman | Mar 24, 2004 | |
| D-WA | Rick Larsen | Apr 20, 2004 | |
| D-VA | Robert C. "Bobby" Scott | Apr 21, 2004 | |
| D-MN | Betty McCollum | May 5, 2004 | |
| D-NY | Jerrold Nadler | May 10, 2004 | |
| D-NJ | Rush Holt | May 11, 2004 | |
| D-MA | Edward J. Markey | May 20, 2004 | |
| D-MA | Richard E. Neal | Jun 22, 2004 | |
| D-IL | Luis V. Gutierrez | Jul 6, 2004 | |
| R-TX | Michael C. Burgess | Jul 21, 2004 | |
| D-WA | Adam Smith | Sep 13, 2004 | |
| D-CA | Jane Harman | Oct 4, 2004 | |
| R-UT | Rob Bishop | Oct 5, 2004 | |
| R-AK | Don Young | Oct 6, 2004 | |
| D-NY | Nita M. Lowey | Oct 8, 2004 | |
| D-PA | Robert A. Brady | Nov 16, 2004 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Oct 21, 2003 |
| Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee | Referred Dec 10, 2003 | |
| House | Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee | Referred Oct 21, 2003 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Dec 10, 2003Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
- Oct 21, 2003Introduced in House
- Oct 21, 2003Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Printed hearings 2
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION116 pages | Judiciary Committee | Aug 23, 2004 |
| — | TERRORIST PENALTIES ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 200360 pages | Judiciary Committee | Apr 21, 2004 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 1552 | Protecting the Rights of Individuals Act | Related bill | Jul 31, 2003 |
Titles 3
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 and title 18, United States Code, to strengthen protections of civil liberties in the exercise of the foreign intelligence surveillance authorities under Federal law, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- SAFE Act
- Security and Freedom Ensured Act of 2003
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Arts, Culture, Religion
- Business records
- Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Commerce
- Congress
- Congressional oversight
- Congressional reporting requirements
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Criminal investigation
- Data banks
- EBB Terrorism
- Electronic surveillance
- Evidence (Law)
- Foreign agents
- Fugitives from justice
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government paperwork
- Government publicity
- International Affairs
- Internet
- Law
- Libraries
- Obstruction of justice
- Right of privacy
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Searches and seizures
- Sunset legislation
- Terrorism
- Warrants (Law)
- Wiretapping
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Oct 21, 2003Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.