Following the events of 9/11, the weeks afterwards changed the face of the United States forever. Soon after the attacks, the US Congress would pass the PATRIOT Act, "An Act to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes" (Congress, 2001), considered by many to be the tool that ultimately allowed the NSA, the National Security Agency, to gain access to the private information of people from both the united states and various foreign countries. The USA PATRIOT Act, also known as the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, was signed into action weeks after the attacks on 9/11 on October 26, 2001. "Though the Act made significant amendments to over 15 important statutes, it was introduced with great haste and passed with little debate, and without a House, Senate, or conference report. As a result, it lacks background legislative history that often retrospectively provides necessary statutory interpretation" (EPIC). The act was passed so quickly with almost no opposition, leading any skeptical critical to wonder: how could a bill with so much power such as allowing practices like "Targets of a "sneak and peek" warrant search would not learn that their homes, business or backgrounds have been searched for after 30 days" (Washington Times, 2005) be passed in little over a month. The answer is simple: carelessness. But why? Why would Congress pass an act, let alone one that completely challenges the current security protocols, with little to no emendation? .
In a Michael Moore's 2004 Documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, Congressman Jim McDermott stated that no Senator had actually read the bill and John Conyers Jr. as saying "We don't read most of the bills.