Sanders Named Library Journal's 2003 Politician of the Year

Citing his pioneering work to protect libraries and their patrons from the sweeping new powers given to federal agents by Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, the Library Journal has named Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) its 2003 "Politician of the Year." The Congressman was nominated by librarians from his home state and across the country and is featured on the cover of the magazine's September 15 issue.

Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

"Being named 'Politician of the Year' by Library Journal is a tremendous honor," Sanders said in a statement. "I am proud to be standing together with America's librarians and booksellers against the excesses of the USA Patriot Act. No one disagrees that we need to vigorously fight terrorism. But that does not mean that we need to give the government access to the reading records of the American public with virtually no oversight by the courts or Congress."

Passed a month after the terrorist attacks of September 11, the Patriot Act amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to give the FBI vastly expanded authority to search business records, including the records of bookstores and libraries. The FBI may request the records secretly, and it is not required to prove that there is probable cause to believe the person whose records are being sought has committed a crime. In addition, the bookseller or librarian who receives an order is prohibited from revealing it to anyone except those whose help is needed to produce the records.

In March 2003, Sanders introduced the Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157), federal legislation that would remove a threat to the privacy of bookstore and library records. Rep. Sanders decided to enact legislation to amend the Patriot Act after Vermont booksellers and librarians organized a letter-writing campaign in the fall of 2002 directed toward members of the state's U.S. congressional delegation. Two of the organizers of the campaign were Linda Ramsdell, owner of the Galaxy Bookshop in Hardwick, Vermont, and Trina Magi, the past president of the Vermont Library Association (VLA).

Magi, one of the librarians who nominated Sanders, stressed that Sanders works to educate the public about the Patriot Act, as reported by the Associated Press. "He hasn't just drafted a bill and introduced it; he's been holding town meetings across the state and having really good discussions with the citizens of Vermont about what the implications are," Magi told AP. "It has taken a lot of time, and we think that shows a real commitment to libraries."

VLA's president, Karen Lane, also nominated Sanders. "[Sanders] took this matter seriously right away and responded promptly," she said in a recent Library Journal article. "We have only one Congressman, but what a patriot."

There is burgeoning support for the Sanders bill from both Democrats and Republicans in the House. At present, H.R. 1157 has 135 co-sponsors. (For a list of the co-sponsors, click here.) Furthermore, Sanders efforts have helped bring nationwide attention to the issue and since the introduction of H.R. 1157, other bills to amend the Patriot Act have been introduced into both the House and the Senate.

Significantly, on July 21, Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter's (R-ID) -- a co-sponsor of H.R. 1157 -- amended the Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary Appropriations Bill of 2004 to withhold funding for "sneak and peek" searches of private property under Section 213 of the Patriot Act. The measure passed by an overwhelming margin -- voted into the appropriations bill by a count of 309 -118 in favor. The amendment to Section 213 was co-sponsored by Representatives Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) and Ron Paul (R-TX) and would be the first limitation on the USA Patriot Act since it was passed in the wake of 9/11. The Senate must agree to the amendment.

The Library Journal's "Politician of the Year" award, which has been given annually since 1997, honors an elected official who has significantly promoted or advocated for libraries. Library Journal is the nation's oldest independent library publication. -- David Grogan