Freedom to Read Protection Act Co-Sponsors Now at 117

When Rep. Bernie Sanders reintroduced the Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157), legislation that would remove the threat to the privacy of bookstore and library records created by Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, in March, 107 fellow members of Congress were listed as co-sponsors of the bill. Since that time, 10 more members of Congress have added their names to the list of co-sponsors.

The new co-sponsors are:

• Rep. Donna M. Christensen [D-VI]
• Rep. Michael H. Michaud [D-ME]
• Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. [R-TN]
• Rep. Adam Smith [D-WA]
• Rep. David Wu [D-OR]
• Rep. Darlene Hooley [D-OR]
• Rep. Brian Baird [D-WA]
• Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett [R-MD]
• Rep. Corrine Brown [D-FL]
• Rep. Ruben Hinojosa [D-TX]

With Sanders' bill gaining support and Congress scheduled to continue holding hearings on the Patriot Act, ABA COO Oren Teicher stressed that it is more important than ever for booksellers to participate in the final phase of the Campaign for Reader Privacy (CRP) -- a nationwide grassroots petition drive calling for an amendment to Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act to ensure the privacy of bookstore and library records.

The centerpiece of CRP, which is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, and PEN American Center, is a petition drive that is being conducted in bookstores and libraries and on the Web at www.readerprivacy.org.

ABA is distributing new CRP materials -- including redesigned petitions and a new bookmark that asks, "Is Someone Reading Over Your Shoulder?" The petition forms and bookmarks, as a well as a letter to booksellers from ABA COO Oren Teicher, were sent to stores with Book Sense in the April Red Box. These materials are also available by calling ABA at (800) 637-0037, ext. 292, or via download from www.bookweb.org/read/7679.