Conference Report on H.R. 1815, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1815, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006 -- (Extensions of Remarks - December 22, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2005
Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 1815, the Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006.
Mr. Speaker, torture can never be tolerated. As a country that has historically stood for the promotion and strengthening of human rights, our government must not be allowed to blur the line, bend the rules or otherwise distort the truth on acts that are clearly degrading, inhumane and cruel. Senator John McCain's amendment to the Fiscal Year 2006 Defense Authorization, and subsequently Appropriations, bills, was overwhelming supported in the Senate, and had bipartisan support in the House. Regardless of who we are fighting, and regardless of how the war is going, as Americans, we must never allow ourselves to again be accused of torture. Torture destroys the lives of those who are its victims as well as the lives, moral authority and strength of those who commit such devastating acts or support them.
As a cosponsor of the Interrogation Procedures Act of 2005, H.R. 3985, which is identical to Senator MCCAIN'S amendment, I am pleased that conferees were able to come to a good agreement in regard to Senator MCCAIN'S amendment. This amendment deserved the utmost support and respect, and I believe that in the end, the conferees were able to incorporate a clear, unambiguous statement on the unacceptability of torture by the U.S. government and military.
As media reports of alleged torture and extraordinary rendition become increasingly common, and as reports continue of ``secret'' CIA prisons operated throughout Eastern Europe, I am extremely pleased that the Administration has finally, publicly supported the McCain ban on torture. I was appalled earlier this month, and in November, to hear of Vice President Cheney's lobbying of Members of Congress to have this provision stripped, arguing that the provision would restrict the ``flexibility'' of the intelligence and military communities to wage an ``effective'' war against terror.
With this conference report, the United States has made a clear, unambiguous, and strong statement condemning torture and outlawing its use by any U.S. military personnel or on any U.S. facility in the world. This is to be greatly commended and I thank my colleagues for their support of this provision.
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