The United States PATRIOT Act, which stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing the Appropriate Tools Needed to Intercept and Thwart Terrorism, was proposed by the Bush administration's counterterrorism Congress on September 19, 2001, a week after the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on September 11. The Patriot Act was passed by the House of Representatives on October 2, 2001 and then by the Senate on October 4, 2001 with support from both Democrats and Republicans. This act passed the House of Representatives by a margin of 357 to 66 and the Senate by a margin of 98 to 1, but only one senator, Russell Feingold, a Democrat from Wisconsin, voted against it stating, "I asked for time to speak in the Senate on the antiterrorism bill under consideration. The administration's bill contained sweeping new powers for law enforcement, some apparently hastily drafted and others that came from the FBI wish list that Congress had. rejected in the past.” (Miller, Debra, 2007, The Patriot Act, Detriot: Lucent Books). According to Geoffrey R. Stone, professor of law at the University of Chicago, "The Bush administration has made thinly veiled threats that anyone had he questioned the legislation he would have been considered unpatriotic and accused of aiding terrorists; not surprisingly, the act passed through Congress with no hearings, no debate, no deliberation and almost no opposition.” (Miller, Debra, 2007, The PatriotAct, Detriot: Lucent Books). The Patriot Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001, forty-five days after the September 11 attacks. Although the Patriot Act was considered a good thing for America, many criticized it because the government did not need it. ..... middle of paper ...... dear freedom, as a result the American people panicked because they realized they were vulnerable and invented excuses and controversies to feel more secure, perhaps the government went astray a little too much freedom that they have given to the FBI and the CIA, but I think it was worth it as long as the government remains effective in counter-terrorism measures and continues to thwart the plots carried out by anyone fighting against this great nation, from Jihad radical to envious nations. Works Cited Miller, Debra, 2007, The Patriot Act, Detriot:Lucent BooksGerdes,Louise, 2005, The Patriot Act: Opposing Veiwpoints, Detroit:Greenhaven PressThe Patriot Act,http://www.justice.gov/archive/ll/highlights .htmThe Patriot Act, http://www.npr.org/news/specials/patriotact/patriotactdeal.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Patriot_Act, October 8, 2011, The Patriot Act