WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- President Bush called on Congress Tuesday to pass expiring provisions of the Patriot Act to help prevent future terrorist attack. Bush did no specify which provisions, but among them is the ability to establish taps on multiple telephones without needing court approval for each and every telephone of a suspect.
That provision and others have come in for criticism from civil liberty groups.
"We ... have got to continue to make sure we meet our obligations to prevent further terrorist attack," Bush said. "One of the most important effective tools for safeguarding our country is the Patriot Act.
"The Patriot Act is getting results; it's a positive piece of legislation. Congress needs to recognize that terrorist threats won't expire, and so they need to send me a bill that reauthorizes the Patriot Act."
Bush made the comments at a White House news conference.
The Patriot Act was enacted in the immediately aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people.