....Denying a fair vote on these amendments is an unprincipled denial of democracy, an abuse of power and a slap in the face of millions of Americans who want fair, open, and honest debate – a debate that was also denied when the Patriot Act was first passed – on proposals that would protect their constitutional rights.

Although these amendments, which are clearly relevant to the Patriot Act debate, will not be allowed an up or down vote on Thursday, the House Rules Committee will allow other amendments, many the ACLU strongly opposes and some the ACLU supports that are small improvements to the Patriot Act.

Sen. Feingold issued a statement (received by e-mail) which included this:

But the compromise does address the core concerns that I and others have had about the standard for Section 215 orders, about sneak and peek search warrants, and about meaningful judicial review of Section 215 orders and National Security Letters, including judicial review of the gag rule. It does not go as far on any of these issues as the SAFE Act does, but it does make meaningful changes to current law.

...Mr. Chairman, I will join the members of this Committee in reporting this bill to the floor in its current form. It is not a perfect bill from my point of view, but it is a good bill.

It is not a good bill. The SAFE Act would have been a good bill.
Rep. Steny Hoyer has a better reaction here.

What [the American people] will see today, however, is an absolute abuse of power by this Republican Majority - which has deliberately and purposely chosen to stifle a full debate on this important legislation, the Patriot Act.

"This Republican rule is nothing less than a craven failure of our Congressional oversight responsibility on legislation that involves the government's power to intrude on American lives.