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House Rules Committee Shuts Out Needed Patriot Act Reforms, Yet Adds "Smokeless Tobacco" Amendment 

Following a late night meeting of the House Rules Committee yesterday on legislation to reauthorize the Patriot Act, the American Civil Liberties Union today expressed its disappointment . . .

However, the Rules Committee did allow an amendment, offered by Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC), that would amend the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act to, among other things, extend its reach to cover "smokeless tobacco." The ACLU takes no position on the need to combat trafficking in chewing tobacco but expressed its disappointment that the committee rejected other amendments that were clearly germane to the excesses of the Patriot Act.

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