Tuesday night, the U.S. Senate approved the Homeland Security Bill in an effort to enhance national security. The bill was passed 90-9.

The bill also includes the Safe Explosive Amendment and the refocusing of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Both provisions were proposed by Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis.

Kohl’s press secretary, Zach Goldberg, said the Safe Explosive Amendment would require people wishing to purchase explosive materials to obtain a permit. This would ensure a check is made on the applicant’s record. Under current law, there is no uniform system enforcing the prohibition, which can result in felons being able to purchase explosives.

Goldberg added explosive materials are easier to obtain than a fishing permit or driver’s license.

“That is unacceptable,” Goldberg said. “That is a loophole that needs to be closed.”

The Homeland Security Bill also includes Kohl’s proposal that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms add the category of explosives, which will refocus its mission. The bureau will be responsible for the criminal enforcement of these substances and will no longer collect alcohol and tobacco fees.

This portion of the bill would also transfers the bureau into the Department of Justice. Goldberg said this would make it easier to coordinate its efforts with the FBI, DEA and other law-enforcement agencies.

Although Kohl feels the Homeland Security Bill is not perfect, he thinks it is a step toward ensuring better communications between the departments.

“The bill addresses the most basic need: that we need to reorganize our country together to protect ourselves against a terrorism attack. There needs to be better communication with the agencies,” Goldberg said. “He didn’t think the bill itself is perfect, but this is the first step [toward] making the department even stronger.”

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., has a different view on the bill and stated that it infringes on Americans’ privacy rights. Feingold was one of nine senators voting against the bill Tuesday night.

“While this reorganization may make sense, it should not have come at the expense of unnecessarily undermining our privacy rights or weakening protection against unwarranted government intrusion into the lives of ordinary Americans,” Feingold said. “The measure the Senate passed potentially allows the federal government to maintain extensive files on each and every American, without limitations.”

Feingold added in his statement that the government will be allowed to access such things as citizens’ e-mails and what citizens do on the Internet without court orders.

“While I commend the president for recognizing the need to consider a major government reorganization in the light of the tragic events of Sept. 11, this could have been accomplished while preserving our privacy and our liberties as Americans,” Feingold said.

The bill is expected to be signed by President Bush next week.