Letter to Booksellers from Oren Teicher

April 27, 2005

Dear Bookseller:

We need your help today!

Your member of Congress will play a critical role in deciding whether to permanently renew the section of the USA PATRIOT Act that authorizes the FBI to secretly search bookstore and library records. On Thursday morning, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security will hold a hearing on Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act...and your member of Congress serves on this committee!

It is critically important for you to contact your representative before the hearing. Tell him or her that Section 215 threatens the privacy of reader records by:

• PERMITTING the FBI to search the records of almost anyone, including people who are not suspected of a crime;
• BARRING court challenges that protect against fishing expeditions in customer records;
• GAGGING booksellers and librarians by permanently forbidding them to discuss the search with anyone except those whose help is needed to comply with it.

A list of the subcommittee members follows. Please contact your representative today. To have the greatest impact, call his or her Washington office or fax a note on your store letterhead to the local district office. Use this link to find contact information: http://www.house.gov.

With your help, we will restore the safeguard for reader privacy this year!

Thanks!

Oren J. Teicher
Chief Operating Officer
American Booksellers Association