Thu
Nov 16 2006
06:05 pm

Lest there be any doubt the new Democrat controlled Congress will hit the ground running, check this out:

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), an outspoken opponent of the Military Commission Act of 2006, today introduced legislation which would amend existing law in order to have an effective process for bringing terrorists to justice. This is currently not the case under the Military Commission Act, which will be the subject of endless legal challenges. As important, the bill would also seek to ensure that U.S. servicemen and women are afforded the maximum protection of a strong international legal framework guaranteed by respect for such provisions as the Geneva Conventions and other international standards, and to restore America’s moral authority as the leader in the world in advancing the rule of law.

[..]

The Effective Terrorists Prosecution Act:

  • Restores Habeas Corpus protections to detainees
  • Narrows the definition of unlawful enemy combatant to individuals who directly participate in hostilities against the United States who are not lawful combatants
  • Bars information gained through coercion from being introduced as evidence in trials
  • Empowers military judges to exclude hearsay evidence they deem to be unreliable
  • Authorizes the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces to review decisions by the Military commissions
  • Limits the authority of the President to interpret the meaning and application of the Geneva Conventions and makes that authority subject to congressional and judicial oversight
  • Provides for expedited judicial review of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 to determine the constitutionally of its provisions
  • If Harold Ford Jr. had proposed something like this instead of voting for the Military Commissions act and against gay marriage, maybe more of the 600,000 Tennessee Democrats who stayed home would have gotten to the polls. Maybe even 50,000 or so of them.

    Sven's picture

    The Constitution is not a

    The Constitution is not a suicide pact.

    Oh, and don't forget your BruinCard.

    Factchecker's picture

    obligatory snark

    That "Constitution" and "balance of powers" stuff is so Old America.   Why do those who live with such a pre-9/11 mindset hate America?  (The new, real America, that is.)

    Guess they don't believe in 1000 years of GOP rule, either!

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