Justice Department officials said they are using its expanded authority and all the tools now available under the Patriot Act to pursue all criminals.

A recent Justice Department report submitted to the U.S. Congress shows a sampling of hundreds of cases where federal authorities used the powers of the Patriot Act to investigate individuals, conduct wiretaps and other surveillance, and seize funds from overseas bank accounts even though the cases were unrelated to terrorism.

For instance, federal officials investigated a major drug distributor using the expanded authority afforded under the Patriot Act.

Some people are not pleased with the way the Justice Department has been using the Patriot Act to broaden its law enforcement agenda.

"What the Justice Department has really done is to get things put into the law that have been on prosecutors' wish lists for years," said Elliot Mincberg, legal director for People for the American Way. "They've used terrorism as a guise to expand law enforcement powers in areas that are totally unrelated to terrorism."

Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the Patriot Act gives the government too much power.

"Once the American public understands that many of the powers granted to the federal government apply to much more than just terrorism, I think the opposition will gain momentum," he said.

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