Getting Into Your Genes

Whether or not Patriot Act II—that's the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 for you sticklers—will look anything like the draft currently circulating after it's actually introduced, the present version offers an illuminating glimpse into the federal police bureaucracy's wish list. Julia Scheeres has an interesting article in Wired News today about one measure buried in the bill, which "would empower the attorney general to collect DNA samples for the purpose of 'detecting, investigating, prosecuting, preventing or responding to terrorist activities.'"