Title: USA PATRIOT Act | Facts, History, Acronym, & Controversy | Britannica
Headings: USA PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act
United States [2001]
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Content: USA PATRIOT Act | Facts, History, Acronym, & Controversy | Britannica
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USA PATRIOT Act
United States [2001]
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Brian Duignan
Brian Duignan is a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica. His subject areas include philosophy, law, social science, politics, political theory, and religion. See Article History
Alternative Title: Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001
USA PATRIOT Act, also called PATRIOT Act, in full Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, U.S. legislation, passed by Congress in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and signed into law by Pres. George W. Bush in October 2001, that significantly expanded the search and surveillance powers of federal law-enforcement and intelligence agencies. The USA PATRIOT Act, as amended and reauthorized from 2003, made numerous changes to existing statutes relating to the privacy of telephone and electronic communications, the operation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, money laundering, immigration, and other areas. It also defined a host of new crimes and increased penalties for existing ones. George W. Bush: signing of USA PATRIOT Act
Pres. George W. Bush signing the USA PATRIOT Act in the East Room of the White House, Washington, D.C., October 26, 2001.