mr. chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
mr. chairman , again , this is an amendment . 
my cosponsors are the gentleman from idaho ( mr. otter ) xz4003050 and the gentleman from arizona ( mr. flake ) xz4001340 . 
but , again , let me begin by saying this is not about cuba . 
so let us make that very clear . 
this is about domestic terrorism and the definition of domestic terrorism . 
and while it does not create a new crime under the patriot act , the definition triggers an array of expanded governmental authorities , including enhanced civil asset seizure powers . 
it is so broadly defined that it could include acts of civil disobedience because they may involve acts that endanger human life , one of the elements that goes into the definition of domestic terrorism . 
for example , they could implicate anti-abortion protesters who illegally block access to federal clinics , which could be interpreted by a liberal activist attorney general as endangering the lives of those seeking abortions , or environmental protesters who trespass on private land and climb trees to prevent logging , which could be interpreted by a conservative activist attorney general as endangering their own lives or the lives of the loggers . 
since such actions are usually undertaken to influence government policy , another of the elements that go into the definition of domestic terrorism , such activities could be treated in such a way as to have severe unintended consequences , particularly with regard to the government seizure of property and/or assets . 
for example , any property used to facilitate the acts , such as a church basement , or property affording a source of influence over the group , like a bank account of a major donor to a direct action anti-abortion group , could be seized without any criminal conviction and without a prior hearing notice under section 806 , which is implicated into the patriot act . 
this amendment curbs those unintended consequences and possibilities and appropriately limits the qualifying offenses for domestic terrorism to those that constitute a federal , substantive crime of terrorism , instead of any federal or state crime . 
it also limits the definition to actions that are actually intended to influence government policy on a civilian population by coercion or intimidation , instead of the current standard that the actions `` appear to be intended '' to have that effect . 
i would conclude by reminding my colleagues on the committee on the judiciary that this amendment is drawn from the version of the patriot act that was unanimously approved by the committee on the judiciary in october of 2001 , and i urge its passage . 
mr. chairman , i reserve the balance of my time . 
