Bob Barr, former Republican member of Congress ("Subpoena plan stirs alarm," Atlanta Journal Constitution, 9/26/2003)
[On the President's request to give law enforcement administrative subpoenas]:

"This moves us in the direction of the executive law enforcement power extending to the point where they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want to do it… All in the name of fighting terrorism."

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) (CNN: Lou Dobbs Tonight, 9/25/2003)

"I supported the Patriot Act that President Bush signed into law. I thought that was necessary. Some of the proposals that have been floated now to Patriot Act II amendments to it, I think we better be very careful with our constitutional rights there."

Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee ("Sensenbrenner not eager to expand subpoena powers," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/16/2003)
[On the President's request to give law enforcement broad new powers]:

"I don't see an urgency involved in any of these things. It will be subject to extensive hearings…Is the judiciary committee going to drop everything on its schedule to do this? The answer is no."

[On the President's request to give law enforcement administrative subpoenas]:

Sensenbrenner said he was "particularly troubled" by the subpoena power requested by the administration."You can't in one breath defend (the) Patriot Act, saying (intelligence) warrants are reviewed by a judge, then in the second breath say we'll have administrative subpoenas."

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Steve Lilienthal, Free Congress Foundation ("Hatch alarms right over anti-terror act," Salt Lake Tribune, 9/15/2003)
[Responding to provisions of a draft narco-terrorism bill, the VICTORY Act]

"We're not supportive of illegal drugs, but we would say the federal government has plenty of resources already on hand for this. The government was seeking a lot of these powers before 9-11, but after the attacks, they seized upon terrorism as a way to get what they had always wanted."

Paul Weyrich, Chairman, Free Congress Foundation ("Hatch alarms right over anti-terror act," Salt Lake Tribune, 9/15/2003)
[Responding to provisions of a draft narco-terrorism bill, the VICTORY Act]

"We are concerned not about Ashcroft, but about a possible subsequent attorney general, named by President Hillary Rodham Clinton, who might define as terrorists those of us who peacefully oppose government polices."

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, board member, National Rifle Association and American Conservative Union ("Hatch alarms right over anti-terror act," Salt Lake Tribune, 9/15/2003)
[Responding to Sen. Orin Hatch's (R-UT) pledge to grant President Bush's request to expand law enforcement powers beyond the Patriot Act]

"That's like somebody saying they'll raise taxes indefinitely. Why would he want to give the federal government indefinite power?"

"These federal prosecutors are like teenage boys on prom night who have one thing on their mind and they want more of it. It's Congress' job to sometimes tell them no. [House Judiciary Chairman Rep. James] Sensenbrenner has certainly been more aggressive in that than Hatch, unless Hatch is doing it quietly behind closed doors."

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee ("Bush Seeks to Expand Access to Private Data," New York Times, 9/14/2003)
[On the President's request to give law enforcement administrative subpoenas]:

"I'm concerned that it may be too sweeping."

[On the President's request to hold terrorism suspects without bail]:

"The Justice Department has gone too far. You have to have a reason to detain."

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