House, Senate committees to review Patriot Act News
House, Senate committees to review Patriot Act

[JURIST] Key portions of the USA PATRIOT Act which will expire at the end of this year are set to come up for review this week before the House Judiciary Committee [official site] and the Senate Judiciary Committee [official site]. The Patriot Act, which gave the executive power sweeping law enforcement and investigatory authority, has been controversial since its adoption in the immediate wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks; this week's hearing are expected to feature lively debate over whether to keep or modify the existing provisions. Senator Arlen Specter [official site], who supported a partial repeal of the Patriot Act last year, will preside over the Senate hearings. Representative James Sensenbrenner [official site], chairman of the House Committee, has previously commented [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel report] that allowing the expanded police powers granted by the Act to remain permanent "will be done over my dead body." The Senate will have a hearing on Tuesday, and the House is set to begin hearings on Wednesday. CNET has more. The American Bar Association has established Patriot Debates, a blog containing thoughtful essays on whether specific provisions should be renewed.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.