WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a delivered today to all members of the U.S. Senate, the ������ý (ALA) called on legislators to vote “no” on any amendment to weaken the USA FREEDOM Act. The USA FREEDOM Act would end the "bulk collection" of Americans’ library, phone and many other personal records under Section 215 (the "library provision") of the USA PATRIOT Act.

In the , Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the ������ýWashington Office, writes:

“On Tuesday June 2, you are likely to be presented with a clear choice: weaken the USA FREEDOM Act (H.R. 2048) by voting for one or more hostile and unneeded amendments...or respect the will of a huge majority of Americans and oppose them. On behalf of the ������ý's more than 55,000 members, and the literally hundreds of millions of Americans who entrust libraries with their privacy every year, we unequivocally urge you to vote "NO" on any amendment to weaken the USA FREEDOM Act (including particularly those filed this weekend by the Majority Leader).

“The ������ý cannot and will not support the USA FREEDOM Act as weakened by any pending amendment, or any other. Please, stand with us for liberty, security and justice. Stand for the USA FREEDOM Act and against its cynical and needless dilution.”

The ������ý (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately 55,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the ������ýis to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.