The Patriot Act aims to give the U.S. government more capabilities to gather information about and act on potential cases of terrorism. It is a direct response to the attacks on September 11, 2001 (9/11) and is a tool in the U.S. fight against terrorism. Additionally, the law functions to strengthen the U.S. position on the global stage. For instance, the law approves the surveillance of the governments of other countries, including: the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.