From work

[dancerjodi]

The USA Patriot Act is a law that was enacted in October 2001 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th. This act is designed to deter and punish terrorist acts in the US and abroad by enhancing law enforcement investigative tools and preventing and detecting money laundering activities. Portions of the law, which apply to insurance companies, go into effect today.

Although written guidance from the Department has not yet been written, we do know that the Department of Treasury expects health plans to educate employees about the USA Patriot Act and report any transactions that represent potential money laundering activities. Thus, I would like you to report any questionable or out of the ordinary financial activities that come to your attention to *name*, Assistant Treasurer, who will investigate the activity and determine whether it should be reported to the Department of Treasury.

Thank you for your assistance.

Comments

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

written guidance from the Department has not yet been written, we do know that the Department of Treasury expects health plans to educate employees about the USA Patriot Act

"The government doesn't know what it's doing, but the legislature felt it had to put some bandaid on, so just assume any illegal activities of which you are aware and for which legal remedies already existed prior to September 11 are terrorist, and not just criminal, in nature."

Yesterday, I cringed as Norman Mineta, a former congressman I actually liked, struggle to put a good spin on the Department of Transportation's failure to meet the deadline for putting those tremendously expensive, tremendously HUGE bomb sniffer devices in every US airport. Why couldn't he just say that DOT would not meet the requirements of this Congressional boondoggle?

Pork and bandaids in the face of tragedy and real danger. I've been writing letters to my reps in DC and at the State House, but I think all it's going to do is get me arrested as a terrorist sympathizer.