Patriot_NN1 Act_NN1 :_: Obama_NP1 mum_NN1 on_II civil_JJ liberties_NN2 safeguards_VVZ Congress_NN1 began_VVD hearings_NN2 this_DD1 week_NNT1 on_II the_AT fate_NN1 of_IO the_AT Patriot_NN1 Act_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ will_VM officially_RR expire_VVI Dec._NPM1 31_MC ._. 
The_AT subject_NN1 of_IO great_JJ controversy_NN1 since_CS its_APPGE introduction_NN1 in_II 2001_MC ,_, it_PPH1 might_VM be_VBI renamed_VVN the_AT Justice_NN1 Act_NN1 and_CC lose_VV0 a_AT1 few_DA2 of_IO its_APPGE less_RGR contentious_JJ provisions_NN2 --_JJ but_CCB it_PPH1 appears_VVZ likely_JJ to_TO remain_VVI for_IF a_AT1 long_JJ time_NNT1 to_TO come_VVI ._. 
When_CS still_RR a_AT1 senator_NN1 from_II Illinois_NP1 ,_, President_NNB Barack_NP1 Obama_NP1 had_VHD criticized_VVN the_AT law_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ the_AT Bush_NP1 administration_NN1 ex-tolled_VVN as_CSA one_MC1 of_IO its_APPGE great_JJ counterterrorism_NN1 measures_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB now_RT the_AT Obama_NP1 administration_NN1 has_VHZ asked_VVN the_AT House_NN1 and_CC Senate_NN1 to_TO extend_VVI three_MC of_IO the_AT act_NN1 's_GE provisions_NN2 ,_, calling_VVG them_PPHO2 useful_JJ tools_NN2 ._. 
Liberal_JJ congressional_JJ Democrats_NN2 are_VBR not_XX pleased_JJ ._. 
How_RRQ the_AT tussle_NN1 is_VBZ resolved_VVN has_VHZ profound_JJ implications_NN2 for_IF how_RRQ the_AT US_NP1 government_NN1 ,_, seeking_VVG to_TO thwart_VVI threats_NN2 from_II abroad_RL ,_, treats_VVZ its_APPGE citizens_NN2 at_II home_NN1 ._. 
The_AT Washington_NP1 Post_NN1 reports_VVZ that_CST the_AT three_MC provisions_NN2 likely_JJ to_TO remain_VVI --_NN1 the_AT ones_NN2 Obama_NP1 wants_VVZ to_TO keep_VVI --_JJ form_NN1 the_AT core_NN1 of_IO the_AT act_NN1 's_GE surveillance_NN1 parameters_NN2 :_: Those_DD2 provisions_NN2 allow_VV0 investigators_NN2 to_TO use_VVI "_" roving_JJ wiretaps_NN2 "_" to_TO monitor_VVI suspects_NN2 who_PNQS may_VM be_VBI trying_VVG to_TO escape_VVI detection_NN1 by_II switching_JJ cellphone_NN1 numbers_NN2 ;_; obtain_VV0 from_II third_MD parties_NN2 the_AT business_NN1 records_NN2 of_IO national_JJ security_NN1 targets_NN2 ;_; and_CC track_VV0 "_" lone_JJ wolf_NN1 "_" suspects_NN2 who_PNQS may_VM not_XX belong_VVI to_II a_AT1 terrorist_JJ group_NN1 but_CCB may_VM be_VBI planning_VVG attacks_NN2 ._. 
One_MC1 of_IO the_AT most_RGT controversial_JJ provisions_NN2 of_IO the_AT law_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT so-called_JJ national_JJ security_NN1 letter_NN1 --_NN1 wo_VM n't_XX be_VBI expiring_VVG ._. 
It_PPH1 allows_VVZ the_AT Federal_JJ Bureau_NN1 of_IO Investigation_NN1 to_TO obtain_VVI phone_NN1 ,_, bank_NN1 ,_, and_CC other_JJ records_NN2 without_IW judicial_JJ approval_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB some_DD Democrats_NN2 are_VBR pushing_VVG to_TO introduce_VVI more_DAR oversight_NN1 to_II the_AT national_JJ security_NN1 letter_NN1 ,_, reports_VVZ the_AT Los_NP1 Angeles_NP1 Times_NNT2 :_: Both_RR &lsqb;_( Senate_NN1 Judiciary_NN1 Committee_NN1 Chairman_NN1 Patrick_NP1 J._NP1 Leahy_NP1 &rsqb;_) and_CC &lsqb;_( House_NN1 subcommittee_NN1 on_II the_AT Constitution_NN1 chairman_NN1 Jerrold_NP1 Nadler_NP1 &rsqb;_) said_VVD Tuesday_NPD1 that_CST they_PPHS2 would_VM not_XX seek_VVI to_TO end_VVI the_AT practice_NN1 ,_, but_CCB would_VM press_VVI for_IF changes_NN2 ._. 
Leahy_NP1 said_VVD his_APPGE bill_NN1 "_" would_VM require_VVI the_AT FBI_NP1 to_TO include_VVI a_AT1 statement_NN1 of_IO facts_NN2 articulating_VVG why_RRQ the_AT information_NN1 it_PPH1 is_VBZ seeking_VVG ..._... is_VBZ relevant_JJ to_II an_AT1 authorized_JJ investigation_NN1 ._. "_" 
He_PPHS1 also_RR said_VVD he_PPHS1 planned_VVD to_TO seek_VVI a_AT1 change_NN1 that_CST would_VM call_VVI for_IF disclosing_VVG these_DD2 searches_NN2 in_II some_DD cases_NN2 ._. "_" 
But_CCB so_RG far_RR ,_, the_AT Obama_NP1 administration_NN1 has_VHZ refused_VVN to_TO weigh_VVI in_RP on_II the_AT proposed_JJ changes_NN2 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT Associated_JJ Press_NN1 :_: The_AT Obama_NP1 administration_NN1 ,_, for_IF a_AT1 second_MD straight_JJ day_NNT1 ,_, frustrated_VVD Democratic_JJ lawmakers_NN2 yesterday_RT by_II declining_VVG to_TO say_VVI whether_CSW it_PPH1 backed_VVD their_APPGE demands_NN2 for_IF more_DAR civil-liberties_NN2 safeguards_VVZ in_II antiterrorism_NN1 surveillance_NN1 and_CC property_NN1 seizures_NN2 ._. 
Democrats_NN2 on_II the_AT Senate_NN1 Judiciary_NN1 Committee_NN1 kept_VVD pressing_JJ Assistant_JJ Attorney_NN1 General_NNB David_NP1 Kris_NP1 to_TO go_VVI beyond_II previous_JJ administration_NN1 statements_NN2 that_CST it_PPH1 supported_VVD continuing_JJ provisions_NN2 of_IO the_AT USA_NP1 Patriot_NN1 Act_NN1 that_CST will_VM expire_VVI at_II year_NNT1 's_GE end_NN1 ._. 
Obama_NP1 's_GE refusal_NN1 to_TO make_VVI his_APPGE view_NN1 clear_RR has_VHZ some_DD Americans_NN2 worried_VVN ,_, such_II21 as_II22 the_AT editors_NN2 at_II the_AT Santa_NP1 Maria_NP1 Times_NNT2 ,_, a_AT1 California_NP1 newspaper_NN1 ._. 
They_PPHS2 noted_VVD in_II an_AT1 editorial_NN1 :_: Before_II renaming_VVG it_PPH1 ,_, our_APPGE lawmakers_NN2 need_VV0 to_TO make_VVI sure_JJ some_DD of_IO the_AT distinctly_RR anti-justice_JJ provisions_NN2 of_IO the_AT Patriot_NN1 Act_NN1 are_VBR removed_VVN ...._... 
The_AT Obama_NP1 administration_NN1 is_VBZ straddling_VVG the_AT fence_NN1 on_II the_AT issue_NN1 of_IO revising_VVG the_AT Patriot_NN1 Act_NN1 ,_, claiming_VVG that_DD1 federal_JJ agencies_NN2 have_VH0 not_XX exploited_VVN the_AT act_NN1 's_GE provisions_NN2 to_TO spy_VVI on_II Americans_NN2 ._. 
How_RRQ do_VD0 they_PPHS2 know_VVI ?_? 
Has_VHZ the_AT FBI_NP1 given_VVN him_PPHO1 a_AT1 press_NN1 release_NN1 promising_VVG not_XX to_TO gather_VVI information_NN1 on_II U.S._NP1 citizens_NN2 ?_? 
President_NNB Obama_NP1 should_VM not_XX play_VVI a_AT1 political_JJ game_NN1 on_II this_DD1 issue_NN1 ._. 
