USA Patriot Act Self-Assessment Questionnaire

The USA PATRIOT ACT was enacted by the U.S. Congress in October, 2001. This federal law prohibits “restricted persons” from possessing, receiving, transporting/transferring, or shipping listed and non-exempt “select agents,” as defined under the 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act’s regulations (the “1996 Act”) (see 42 Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 72.6(j) and (h) of Appendix A. This prohibition, and the criminal sanctions for violating it, apply to the individual.

This Questionnaire is intended to assist those individuals in the MIT community who work in or support laboratories with such select agents to determine for themselves whether they are “restricted persons” and must not possess, receive, transport/transfer, or ship such agents. Whether or not you are a “restricted person,” you will be afforded the respect and collegiality that all members of our MIT community can expect.

Answer the following questions to determine for yourself whether you are a “restricted person” under the USA Patriot Act:

1. Are you under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year?
2. Have you been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year?
3. Are you a fugitive from justice?
4. Are you an unlawful user of any controlled substance such as an illegal drug or a drug used illegally (see definition in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, 21 United States Code 802 [http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/agency/csa.htm])?
5. Are you an illegal alien in the U.S.?
6. Are you an alien in the U.S. (even a legal alien, but not including a lawful permanent resident) who is a national of Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria?
7. Have you been “adjudicated a mental defective” or have you been “committed to any mental institution”?
8. Have you been dishonorably discharged from the U.S. armed services?

IF YOU ANSWER YES TO ANY ONE OR MORE OF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU ARE A “RESTRICTED PERSON” under the USA PATRIOT ACT and must not possess, receive, transport/transfer or ship any “select agents” listed and not exempted under the 1996 Act’s regulations.

Please contact your Principal Investigator or Department, Laboratory or Center head, or Claudia Mickelson in the EHS Office (claudia@mit.edu), if you have any concerns. Jamie Lewis Keith (jlkeith@mit.edu) and others in the Senior Counsel’s Office are also available if you have any questions or need assistance.

THIS VERSION OF THE SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.

IF YOUR LAB HAS SELECT AGENTS THAT ARE LISTED AND NOT EXEMPTED UNDER THE 1996 ACT AND YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY RECEIVED A PATRIOT ACT SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE DIRECTLY FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT, LAB OR CENTER HEAD OR FROM JAMIE LEWIS KEITH, PLEASE CONTACT JAMIE LEWIS KEITH (jlkeith@mit.edu). SHE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE APPROPRIATE QUESTIONNAIRE AND OFFER ASSISTANCE.

Last updated 6/25/03