BIDEN Issues Statement After Senate Fails to Restore Habeas Corpus Rights of Detainees

[babylonsister]

http://biden.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=283631&

September 19, 2007
Press Release

BIDEN Issues Statement After Senate Fails to Restore Habeas Corpus Rights of Detainees

Washington, DC – Former Chairman and senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), voted in favor of an amendment (#2022) to the Defense Authorization Bill to restore habeas corpus rights to those detained by the United States. The writ of habeas corpus, a judicial safeguard which finds it roots in the Magna Carta, grants those being held the right to contest their imprisonment in a court of law. Habeas corpus ensures that if the United States detains an individual, it does so with full respect for the Constitution and the rule of law. The Senate failed to adopt the amendment.

“Habeas corpus was conceived to prevent someone from being locked up illegally, with no chance to contest his/her imprisonment. It is not a get out of jail free card. And it will not result in the release of dangerous terrorists,” said Senator Biden. “As I’ve said before, the terrorists win when we abandon our civil liberties. The way we win is to show them that we can fight this war without changing our character as a nation. I hope the Senate reconsiders this issue once again”

In 2006, Congress severely curtailed habeas review for detainees when it passed the Military Commission Act. Senator Biden fought against the provisions in the Military Commission Act that deprived detainees of habeas corpus and has been a strong proponent of measures to restore habeas corpus to detainees, especially in the years since 9/11.

Today’s amendment would have made clear that all detained terrorism suspects held by the United States could invoke habeas corpus to challenge their classification as an unlawful enemy combatant and their conviction by a military commission of a war crime.

“The position urged by the Administration, that we must choose between Constitutional rights and fighting terrorism effectively, is simply wrong. Our strength as a nation, and our status as a world leader, is based in part on the fact that Americans do not choose between national security and liberty; we demand both,” said Sen. Biden.

[Mountainman]

1. "terrorists win when we abandon our civil liberties" I agree .

Ever since 9/11 we have been giving up our freedoms in hopes of gaining security. We are no more secure than we were on 9/10 yet we are less free. The terrorists have surely won by turning us on ourselves.

We say the troops are fighting to protect our freedoms in Iraq while we throw them away at home. Is that supporting the troops or are we letting them die in vain? What hypocrites we have become.

[Redneck Socialist]

2. Every Dem voted to end the filibuster

An amazing show of unity for a change.

"Still, the American Civil Liberties Union -- which has been highly critical of Democratic leaders on such issues -- praised this morning's vote. Every Democrat voted to break the filibuster, along with Republicans Specter, Hagel, Richard G. Lugar (Ind.), Gordon Smith (Ore.), Olympia J. Snowe (Maine) and John E. Sununu (N.H.). The only senator absent for the vote was Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.)."

More at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/19/AR2007091900873.html?hpid=topnews

[The Wielding Truth]

3. Next time I will have to call all the republicons and see if it makes

a difference. The ones I called voted for it. Makes me ill that any senator could stop a bill that would protect the very people they are supposed to be serving.

[Redneck Socialist]

5. My guy (subooboo) voted for it

He's running scarred. He's up for re-election and he's been trying to distance himself from the bushies for a while now.

[Zodiak]

6. I have to agree

For once, the "redstate" Dem Senators did the right thing.

It is an anomaly I wish to see continued.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. Thank you Senator Biden! Sen Clinton should also make a statment please.

[L. Coyote]

7. Thanks. K & R. I missed this and posted a dupe.