Restoring Habeas by mcjoan Daily Kos

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http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/6/6/1997/94188

Wed Jun 06, 2007 at 04:10:09 PM PDT

Senators Leahy and Specter have introduced the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act (S. 185). The legislation restores habeas rights to foreign nationals who are detained as enemy combatants or who are awaiting determination of their combatant status. It's a critical piece of legislation to undo the most egregious wrong of the Military Commissions Act. The bill is going to be marked up in the Judiciary Committee tomorrow.

Senator Leahy is asking for our help in garnering support for the legislation:

Many of you may recall the hasty passage of the Military Commissions Act in the weeks leading up to last year's election, a bill that set new rules for trying detainees, in particular those currently being held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

The passage of this bill was a profound mistake, and its elimination of habeas corpus review was its worst error. Righting this wrong is one of my top priorities, and on the first day of this Congress I joined with Senator Arlen Specter to introduce the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act (S. 185). This bipartisan bill already has 17 cosponsors, but it faces a crucial vote in the Judiciary Committee this Thursday so we need your help.

Please e-mail your home-state Senators today and urge them to protect our fundamental liberties by supporting the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act!

Via Christy at FDL, here are the members of the Judiciary Committee who haven't already signed on as cosponsors of the bill:

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ)
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)

Call or e-mail the offices of these Senators to urge them to support S. 185 in committee tomorrow. Here are the toll free numbers for the Capitol Switchboard:

1 (800) 828 - 0498
1 (800) 459 - 1887
1 (800) 614 - 2803
1 (866) 340 - 9281
1 (866) 338 - 1015
1 (877) 851 - 6437

Even if your Senators aren't on the Judiciary Committee, call and ask them to support this legislation. Given that Specter is a sponsor, it will probably get enough support to get out of committee and get a vote in the full Senate. Or, if your Senator is one of the following, thank them for cosponsoring this critical bill: Biden, Brown, Cantwell, Clinton, Dodd, Durbin, Feingold, Feinstein, Harkin, Kennedy, Kerry, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Obama, Rockefeller, Salazar, Whitehouse.

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