CRP Petitions: Not Too Late

Although the formal presentation to Congress of thousands of Campaign for Reader Privacy petitions took place on September 29, bookstores that still have signed petitions should send them to the American Booksellers Association. "We'll be doing a supplementary presentation to Congress" said ABA COO Oren Teicher, "so, even after the deadline, if bookstores still have signed petitions, they should send in what they've got.

"With a major battle expected in Congress in 2005 over the reauthorization of provisions of the Patriot Act that are due to expire -- and a number of bills that seek to amend Section 215 being considered, we're committed to keeping attention focused on the issue of reader privacy."

Petitions should be sent to ABA, Restore Reader Privacy, Attn.: Oren Teicher, 828 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591.

During Banned Books Week, the Campaign for Reader Privacy petition drive culminated with a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as representatives of the four sponsoring organizations presented to Congress petitions containing nearly 200,000 signatures. ABA COO Oren Teicher; Salman Rushdie, president of PEN American Center; Pat Schroeder, president of the Association of American Publishers; and Carla Hayden, past president of the American Library Association, personally handed Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) petitions bearing 9,000 signatures collected in his home state of Vermont. Also in attendance to accept the petitions was Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA). The bulk of the thousands of signed petitions were delivered to Sanders prior to the presentation. (To read more about the CRP presentation, click here).