House Judiciary Backs Bush Torture Bill: PLEASE TAKE ACTION

[Coexist]

STORY:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001573.php

BREAKING: House Judiciary Reconsiders, Backs Bush Torture Bill
By Justin Rood - September 20, 2006, 5:28 PM
The House Judiciary Committee just reversed itself, calling a re-vote and passing a controversial detainee treatment bill that has White House backing, according to House sources.

Earlier today, the panel had voted down the measure, 18-17, with three members not voting. The re-vote swung the tally to 20-18 in favor of the bill.

Update: WSJ's Washington Wire has more details (and a better vote tally -- we'd originally reported 17-20). "The amendment might have passed had two Democrats not missed the vote; the two were at a news conference on the Medicare drug benefit."

TAKE ACTION:

from Daily Kos
ACTION: SAVE THE GREAT WRIT - BOTH the McCain and Bush versions of the bill suspend habeas corpus, the right dating back to the Magna Carta (1215) not to be locked up indefinately at the president's whim. This is breathtaking in its implications for a free society. The Center for Constitutional Rights is urging everyone to use this link to contact their Senators today to save this 800 year old protection of human rights, the linchpin of freedom and liberty. This is an emergency. Act now.

TEXT OF THE EMAIL YOU WILL BE SENDING:

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to vote for the Specter-Levin Amendment to the military commissions bills when it is introduced and save the right of habeas corpus.

Both bills (the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and the Bringing Terrorists to Justice Act of 2006 ) include provisions which would deny people – even U.S. citizens taken prisoner abroad – the right to challenge their detention in U.S. court. There is no more fundamental check on executive power than the right of habeas corpus. Passing these bills without the Specter-Levin Amendment would grant an unprecedented degree of power to the Presidency.

The current drafts of these bills also cut back on hard-fought victories of victims of sexual violence to hold their perpetrators accountable. This will affect not only women and men detainees subject to sexual violence and abuse, but will set standards that will have a far-reaching affect on the rights of rape and sexual violence victims worldwide.

I join the Center for Constitutional Rights in calling on you to defend democracy and preserve the most fundamental of all rights. Vote 'Yes' on the Specter-Levin Amendment, remove any attempts to redefine torture from the bills, and vote to defend the most fundamental democratic right.