A User's Guide to the USA PATRIOT Act and Beyond examines the controversial USA PATRIOT Act, passed by Congress six weeks after the horrific events of September 11, 2001. The book summarizes other programs put into operation to severely curtail the civil liberties of Americans, including a second, more intrusive PATRIOT Act, and other proposed programs and laws that attack privacy, probably cause, due process, and free speech.

The USA Patriot Act: A Reference Handbook is an in-depth examination of the difficult wartime task of balancing civil liberties against national security. Within weeks of the September 11 terrorist attacks, overwhelming majorities in both houses of Congress passed the USA Patriot Act. The act immediately aroused bitter controversy. Some claim it impermissibly infringes on constitutional rights; others argue it is a necessary tool to ensure the security of the American homeland. Distinguished scholar and prolific author Howard Ball provides the background necessary for a reasoned, historical examination of both positions. He details the threats to America in the last 60 years, emphasizing terrorist acts; examines the temporary surrender of civil rights during past American wars; and uses that history to analyze the USA Patriot Act, both as it exists and as arguments rage over whether to strengthen or weaken the law.

Takes the reader behind the Patriot Act to show the drama that led to the bill being passed and the effect it had in the development of our country.

Annotation - Titles continually revised and updated - Biographical sketch of authors - Paper and durable library bindings - Organizations to contact - Current book and periodical bibliographies.

Referred to as the best source for a truly fair and balanced debate on the USA PATRIOT Act, this book summarizes the provisions of the Act that are due to expire at the end of 2005 as well as several other issues that are likely to be part of the renewal debate. Gathering some of the brightest minds in national security and privacy laws, (21 authors) this book provides a series of point and counter-point essay exchanges devoted to civil and informed debate on these provisions. Stuart Taylor of the National Journal calls the book the best imaginable introduction to the PATRIOT Act. It explains the more important and contentious provisions and juxtaposes the best arguments for and against them, presented by opposing experts in a readable and civil fashion. The book focuses attention on the sometimes difficult tradeoffs between liberty and security that Congress should weigh in the balance as it considers possible amendments.

"The United States Code is the official codification of the general and permanent laws of the United States of America. The Code was first published in 1926, and a new edition of the code has been published every six years since 1934. The 2012 edition of the Code incorporates laws enacted through the One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, the last of which was signed by the President on January 15, 2013. It does not include laws of the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, First Session, enacted between January 2, 2013, the date it convened, and January 15, 2013. By statutory authority this edition may be cited "U.S.C. 2012 ed." As adopted in 1926, the Code established prima facie the general and permanent laws of the United States. The underlying statutes reprinted in the Code remained in effect and controlled over the Code in case of any discrepancy. In 1947, Congress began enacting individual titles of the Code into positive law. When a title is enacted into positive law, the underlying statutes are repealed and the title then becomes legal evidence of the law. Currently, 26 of the 51 titles in the Code have been so enacted. These are identified in the table of titles near the beginning of each volume. The Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives continues to prepare legislation pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 285b to enact the remainder of the Code, on a title-by-title basis, into positive law. The 2012 edition of the Code was prepared and published under the supervision of Ralph V. Seep, Law Revision Counsel. Grateful acknowledgment is made of the contributions by all who helped in this work, particularly the staffs of the Office of the Law Revision Counsel and the Government Printing Office"--Preface.