madam speaker , the patriot act has been an important law enforcement tool in the years following the dastardly terrorist attacks on our country , and taken as a whole , the bill has enhanced our national security . 
the united states and our allies are fighting a war like no other . 
it is an unconventional war that must be met with unconventional tools used by law enforcement professionals to protect the american people from those who would do us harm . 
the patriot act provides federal officers greater powers to trace and intercept terrorists ' communications for law enforcement and foreign intelligence purposes . 
it reinforces federal anti-money laundering laws and regulations in an effort to deny terrorists the resources necessary for future attacks . 
it tightens laws pertaining to seaport security . 
and , it creates several new federal crimes , such as laws outlawing terrorists ' attacks on mass transit and increases penalties for many other violations of the law . 
as is true of any law that empowers the government to collect security-related information domestically , evaluating the patriot act requires us to weigh a wide range of competing interests , like the ability of our government to detect and thwart terrorist attacks and the constitutional rights of the american people . 
of course , proper oversight of the patriot act by congress is essential to guaranteeing our constitutional rights are not trampled . 
important for missouri , the patriot act conference report also includes bipartisan language that helps fight the scourge of methamphetamine abuse in america . 
this drug epidemic has been especially hard on rural areas . 
the bill bans over-the-counter sales of cold medicines that contain ingredients commonly used to make methamphetamine , allowing the sale only from locked cabinets or behind the counter . 
it limits the monthly amount any individual could purchase , requires individuals to present photo identification in order to purchase such medicines , and requires stores to keep personal information about these customers for at least 2 years after the purchase of these medicines . 
the bill also allows judges to impose strict sentences for those who possess pseudoephedrine with the intent to distribute it for methamphetamine creation . 
i urge my colleagues to support reauthorization of the patriot act . 
