Skelton And Conyers Introduce MAJOR NEW HABEAS REFORM Legislation

[kpete]

Skelton And Conyers Introduce Major New Habeas Reform Legislation

Last month, the House Armed Services Committee “dealt a blow to the human-rights community” by failing to include a provision restoring habeas corpus rights in the 2008 defense authorization bill. At the time, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the House would address habeas reform in a stand-alone bill.

Today, House chairmen Ike Skelton (D-MS) of the Armed Services Committee and John Conyers (D-MI) of the Judiciary Committee announced legislation that would finally restore habeas corpus rights to U.S. detainees being imprisoned indefinitely without trial. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed habeas legislation earlier this month.

In a statement, Skelton said the legislation takes aim at the “seriously flawed” provision in the Military Commissions Act that stripped detainees of their habeas rights. The support of Skelton, considered a leading moderate in the House, suggests the bill will have broad-based support. Conyers added:

Habeas Corpus is one of the fundamental touchstones of our constitutional democracy. We cannot preach freedom abroad if we are not willing to give prisoners the ability to establish their innocence; and, we cannot advance the cause of fighting terrorism at home if our government takes constitutionally dubious short cuts.

more (plus full statement)
at:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/22/habeas-reform/

[OregonBlue]

1. HOORAY! If the Publicans don't like it, make them stand up and defend the indefensible!

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

3. Bush will just exempt the executive branch from it,...as he has done a bzillion times before.

NOTHING will change until the criminals are charged with their crimes! Nothing.

[Gman]

4. However

they have no problem standing in the well of the House or Senate and unabashedly try to defend the indefensible. They will do it.

[OregonBlue]

8. I'm sure they will but that ain't gonna play well in Montana or Idaho or Nebraska, etc.

There are a lot of Libertarians in the Publican party and they don't like it when their rights are denied!! Make them say it. Make them explain why we no longer have the most basic right.

[Forkboy]

2. About fucking time!

:thumbsup:

[ashling]

5. Skelton is not from Mississippi (MS)

he is from Missouri (MO)

[bigtree]

6. kick

:kick:

[soothsayer]

7. Good for them!

[galloglas]

9. I Like Ike !!