The Constitution Project Welcomes House Bill to Restore Habeas Corpus

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http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0615-05.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 15, 2007
10:16 AM


CONTACT: The Constitution Project
Corey Owens The Constitution Project Communications Coordinator [phone] [e-mail]

The Constitution Project Welcomes House Bill to Restore Habeas Corpus


WASHINGTON - JUNE 15 - Today the Constitution Project applauded the introduction by Representative Joe Sestak (D-PA) of H.R. 2710, which would restore the habeas corpus rights repealed by the controversial Military Commissions Act last year. Rep. Sestak, a retired three-star Navy admiral, has long supported restoring the constitutional right known as the Great Writ. As a candidate for the US House of Representatives Sestak said that the habeas-stripping Military Commissions Act "falls short of protecting American service members as well as ideals of fairness and justice." *

"Representative Sestak knows from personal experience that defending the Constitution is not always popular, when serving in the Navy or in Congress," said Sharon Virginia Sloan, president of the Constitution Project. "The unusual battlefields of the 'war on terrorism' should not lead us to abandon the constituional principles that have sustained this country for more than two hundred years. This bill will restore the rule of law and demostrates that our government need not concede the moral high ground to keep Americans safe."

For more information on the Constitution Project, please visit http://www.constitutionproject.org.

To view the statement of the Constitution Project's Liberty and Security Committee and Coalition to Defend Checks and Balances on the need to restore habeas corpus, please visit http://www.constitutionproject.org/pdf/MCA_Statement.pdf

* (Steve Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer, "After protest, Specter toes the line," September 30, 2006)