USA Patriot Act (2001)

Published November 2003

An acronym derived from "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism," it constitutes a larger "umbrella act" by Congress to implement a wide range of federal mandates in response to the September 11 terror attacks. Section 817 of the Patriot Act amends the original 1996 ruling and prohibits "restricted persons" from transferring, possessing, or receiving pathogens on the Select Agent List.