Senate May Face Showdown Over Terror Rules

[Judi Lynn]

Senate May Face Showdown Over Terror Rules
By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

(07-26) 00:03 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

The Senate faces a potential showdown with the White House over efforts to set rules for the treatment of terror suspects and delay military base closings.

Senate Republicans have offered such amendments to a bill setting Defense Department policy for next year. That's despite the Bush administration's threat to veto the entire measure if any of those amendments are included.

The Senate was debating the defense bill in its final week of work before a monthlong break, but it may not complete work on it until returning in September. However, senators still could vote on base-closing and detainee amendments this week, perhaps as early as Tuesday.

On the menu are separate amendments by GOP Sens. John Warner of Virginia, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. The measures would standardize interrogation and prosecution of war-on-terror detainees in U.S. custody.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/07/26/national/w000339D83.DTL

[ngGale]

1. Bush is blackmailing the Senate over torture ...

they get off scott free, and our soldier's may get much needed equipment. Low down, sob...:grr:

[jody]

2. It requires "yea" votes from 51 senators and 218 congresspersons,

plus a presidential signature to pass a good or bad law but, a presidential veto supported by 34 senators voting to sustain that veto can prevent passing new legislation to overturn a bad law or policy.

That's not a representative democracy, that's pure totalitarianism when a rogue president supported by 34 henchman-senators can permanently impose a bad law on "We the People".