Mr. COBURN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this amendment. I, too, want to support this bill, but I think that there is a balance that has been drafted very carefully by the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Barr] to balance what we need to do and, at the same time, protect individual rights and liberties.
Terrorism in this country obviously poses a serious threat to us as a free society. It generates fear. But there is a far greater fear that is present in this country, and that is fear of our own Government. We should not further that fear. We should not do anything to promote further lack of confidence in our own Government. Public officials must recognize that our citizens fear not only terrorism, but our Government as well.
A recent Gallup Poll found that an astounding 52 percent of the people believe the Federal Government has become so large and powerful that it poses a threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. Four out of ten thought that this danger was imminent. We can ill afford to pass legislation in the name of antiterrorism that is seen by many law-abiding citizens of this country as a threat to their freedoms.
The Barr amendment deletes provisions of the bill that I feel are essential to protect individual rights. I believe this bill violates constitutional rights without the Barr amendment, and it takes away personal liberties which are so precious, and we should not sacrifice them for any cause.
For that reason I urge my colleagues to join me in support of the amendment. The Barr amendment protects our precious individual liberty.
