Protecting our Rights and Freedoms USA Patriot Act [T]here is no doubt that if we lived in a police state, it would be easier to catch terrorists. If we lived in a country that allowed the police to search your home at any time for any reason; if we lived in a country that allowed the government to open your mail, eavesdrop on your phone conversations, or intercept your email communications; if we lived in a country that allowed the government to hold people in jail indefinitely based on what they write or think, or based on mere suspicion that they are up to no good, then the government would no doubt discover and arrest more terrorists. But that probably would not be a country in which we would want to live. And that would not be a country for which we could, in good conscience, ask our young people to fight and die. In short, that would not be America. -Senator Russ Feingold, on his vote against the USA PATRIOT Act, October 25, 2001 The Patriot Act has provisions that go too far and intrude on our basic rights and freedoms. The law must be amended to: Place time limits on secret searches. Stop the ability of the federal government to automatically obtain library, computer and health records. Restrict "roving wiretaps" without clear evidence of a threat to U.S. security   Illegal Domestic Wiretapping Program and the Censure Of The President At moments in our history like this, we are reminded why the founders balanced the powers of the different branches of government so carefully in the Constitution. At the very heart of our system of government lies the recognition that some leaders will do wrong, and that others in the government will then bear the responsibility to do right…  No one questions whether the government should wiretap suspected terrorists. Of course we should, and we can under current law…. But the President is refusing to follow that law while offering the flimsiest of arguments to justify his misconduct. He must be held accountable for his actions...  This conduct is unacceptable. The President had a duty to play it straight with the American people. -Senator Russ Feingold, on the Introduction of the Resolution to Censure President George W. Bush, March 13, 2006 The President violated clear, existing specific law when he secretly authorized the National Security Agency to wiretap American citizens without court review. We can fight terrorism without breaking the law. The rule of law is central to who we are as a people, and the President must return to the law. This issue is not about whether the government should be wiretapping terrorists – of course it should, and it can under current law. Passing more laws will not change the fact that the President broke the ones already in place and for that, Congress must hold him accountable. If Congress does not censure the President, we tacitly condone his actions, and undermine both the separation of powers and the rule of law. Death Penalty That our society relies on killing as punishment is disturbing enough. Even more disturbing, however, is that the states' and federal government's use of the death penalty is often not consistent with principles of due process, fairness, and justice. These principles are the foundation of our criminal justice system. -Senator Russ Feingold, on the Introduction of the Introduction of the Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2003, February 14, 2003 The death penalty at the Federal and State levels is flawed, raises serious fairness concerns and should be abolished. Innocent people end up on death row. We cannot tolerate errors when the state is imposing such a final penalty. The current system risks executing the innocent. Over one thousand people have been executed in the era of the modem death penalty, while 12% of those executed have been exonerated. Years of study have shown that the death penalty does little to deter crime. A defendants’ likelihood of being sentenced to death depends heavily on whether they are rich or poor, and what race their victims were. We can punish offenders by sentencing them to life without parole.   Marriage Equality America was founded on the principle of freedom for all people, and I strongly believe that the civil rights of all individuals should be vigorously upheld regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, genetic make-up, or sexual orientation. Upholding the rights of all citizens has proven to be a struggle throughout our history, but nothing worthwhile is achieved without a struggle. -Senator Russ Feingold, on Equal Rights and Protections, 2004 This is one of the real cutting-edge issues in our society: whether we’re going to be kind and decent to each other and be a community, or whether we’re going to try to divide ourselves - this is a real test for our society. We should not write discrimination into the Constitution. Any effort to do so is an obvious attempt to change the subject from topics that the Congress should be addressing to a hot button social issue intended to appeal to certain factions. The last thing we should be doing right now is playing politics with the Constitution, or with the lives of gay and lesbian Americans, who see this proposal for what it is - discrimination, pure and simple. All Americans should stand up and say no to the federal marriage. amendment, no to discrimination targeted at many of our citizens, and no to this narrow-minded attempt to score political points in an election year. Second Amendment I believe that the Second Amendment was not an afterthought, that it has meaning today and must be respected. I support the right to bear arms for lawful purposes--for hunting and sport and for self-protection. Millions of Americans own firearms legally and we should not take action that tells them that they are second-class citizens or that their constitutional rights are under attack. At the same time, there are actions we can and should take to protect public safety that do not infringe on constitutional rights. -Senator Russ Feingold, on the Floor of the U.S. Senate, March 2, 2004 The Second Amendment, which protects the right to keep and bear arms, has meaning today and must be respected. However, there are reasonable measures that should be in place that do not infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and use guns such as: The Brady Bill, requiring background checks of gun purchasers, Closing the gun show loophole that unacceptably increases the danger that a gun will fall into the hands of a criminal, Child safety locks and other measures to make firearms less dangerous to gun owners and their families, and Requiring the gun industry, like other industries, to maintain its duty of reasonable care to its customers.   Reproductive Freedom [T]he American people support a woman’s right to choose. Instead of constantly seeking ways to undermine that right, Congress should work to help women avoid unwanted and unintended pregnancies. If we do that, abortions will become more rare, as well as staying safe and legal. [A]ll women [should] have access to the best information and reproductive health services available. -Senator Russ Feingold, During a Hearing of Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, June 23, 2005 All Americans would prefer to live in a world where abortion is unnecessary. Everyone should respect the deeply held views of those on all sides of this difficult issue. Reducing the number of abortions through family planning, counseling and avoiding unintended pregnancies is a goal everyone shares. Decisions in this area are best handled by the individuals involved, in consultation with their doctors and guided by their own beliefs and unique circumstances, rather than by Government mandates. Any legislation dealing with any reproductive procedure, including late term abortion, must allow doctors to use their best medical judgment in situations where a woman's life is at risk or where she might suffer grievous consequences to her physical health.