mr. chairman , i thank the gentleman from texas for yielding . 
i support this amendment . 
i think it merely restates the fact that people who are not involved in criminal or terrorist activities have nothing to fear from the patriot act . 
the first amendment protects free speech . 
it protects political association . 
as long as the political association is not involved in criminal terrorist activities , we ought to encourage it even if their views are something that we disagree with . 
the gentleman from texas has done a very good service to this bill with this amendment , and i hope it is adopted overwhelmingly . 
