Senator Feingold has been quite a sport with providing diaries here on dkos about the USA PATRIOT Act's reauthorization. And most recently, he suggested that he would filibuster the House & Senate joint conference committee's agreement to reauthorize all the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., announced that the negotiating committee had reached an agreement that would extend for four years two of the Patriot Act's most controversial provisions -- authorizing roving wiretaps and permitting secret warrants for books, records and other items from businesses, hospitals and organizations such as libraries. Those provisions would expire in four years unless Congress acted on them again.
More on the flip
I can't say if the good Senator will be providing another update with his perspective on the leadup to this agreement but we can certainly understand his response and I encourage everyone to contact his office and offer your words of support. This is a very important issue to every American in an effort to defend our civil liberties and rights.
"I will do everything I can, including a filibuster, to stop this Patriot Act conference report, which does not include adequate safeguards to protect our constitutional freedoms," said Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who was the only senator to vote against the original version of the Patriot Act.
CHEERS to having senators like Russ Feingold
Yahoo news story link
Senator Feingold contact information
[Update]: Additionally, please contact your Congresspeople and Senators to express your solidarity with Russ in opposition to the 'agreement' and urge them to support Russ in his effort to reaffirm our civil liberties.
US House of Representatives: 202-224-3121
US Senate: List of Senators contact info