Although it was written to protect our nation, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act is unconstitutional in that it denies many First and Fourth amendment rights. Following September 11, the nation was in need of a new security plan. New threats had arisen and the old methods just weren't working. With the terrorist threat now on American soil, intelligence and law enforcement had to be reformed.

On October 23, 2001 the USA Patriot Act reached the House of Representatives. It was passed the next day by a vote of 357-66, and then it moved to the Senate. There it was passed the following day by a vote of 98-1. The bill was signed by the president on October 26, 2001 and was put into effect as a public law.

The overall function of the Patriot Act was to put a...