No one knew how to react to the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.

Now, as we near the two-month mark since that historic day, President George W. Bush has signed into law a new antiterrorism bill that gives federal officials more power to solicit information they expect is tied to terrorism.

The U.S.A. Patriot Act gives $100 million to improve immigration and customs technology, it expands wiretapping authority and ups the penalties for anyone who harbors or helps terrorists, among other things.

Those of us who’ve had our eyes glued to CNN or MSNBC since Sept. 11 might have expected the government to react like this, strengthening penalties and improving already struggling immigration policies. But as airline security is tightened and everyday people become suspects, government officials have to make sure they don’t cross the lines of limiting civil liberties.

Included in the bill’s original draft was a two-year “sunset clause,” or expiration date, to see if down the line, the law still is necessary. With Bush’s signing, the clause has been bumped up to four years and allows officials to reevaluate the law’s provisions.

What must be understood is that the fight against terrorism can’t be solved in just a few years. It’s an ongoing struggle that needs be dealt with carefully and not carelessly.

Now that the government has increased electronic powers, such as reading e-mails and tapping phones, there has to be a limit on how far is too far. In the same respect, people who suddenly become suspects because of their immigrant history can’t unnecessarily be detained because they once lived in another country.

Basically, the government is making a necessary step toward improving our country’s efforts against terrorism. Officials just need to be sure that they keep in mind the provisions included in the U.S. Constitution before signing a law that refutes everyday freedoms.