OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Conference Report on H. R. 2199, USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005

Floor Speech

By: Tom Cole
By: Tom Cole
Date: Dec. 17, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security

SPEECH OF HON. TOM COLE OF OKLAHOMA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2005

* Mr. COLE of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I rise today to explain my vote against a democrat motion to instruct conferees on December 14, 2005.

* Although President Bush and Secretary Rice have made it clear that under no circumstance will the United States use torture, I am also sympathetic to Senator McCain's wish to establish a clear set of rules to govern interrogations of persons under the detention of the Department of Defense. With this said, I don't believe it is beneficial to instruct conferees on an issue that is already under negotiations between the White House, Senator McCain and the United States House of Representatives. These negotiations could yield a much more favorable outcome than what Senator McCain originally requested and it also undermines the legislative process. However, if no compromise is agreed to, I would support the McCain language as our policy toward torture.


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