Support for Overriding the President's Veto of H.R. 2082

SUPPORT FOR OVERRIDING THE PRESIDENT'S VETO OF H.R. 2082 -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 03, 2008)

SPEECH OF
HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2008

* Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of overriding the President's veto of the Intelligence Authorization bill (H.R. 2082). President Bush vetoed this important bill because of a clause that holds the intelligence community to the same standard as military personnel by banning the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques that are prohibited in the Army Field Manual. While announcing his veto, the President stated that ``this is no time for Congress to abandon practices that have a proven track record of keeping America safe.'' President Bush is misguided: the use of waterboarding and other tactics neither strengthens our national security nor improves our intelligence capabilities. The United States does not need to disregard human rights in order to keep our country safe.

* There is no doubt in my mind and I want to make it clear, waterboarding is torture. Some call this practice ``simulated drowning.'' In reality, waterboarding is drowning. The victim experiences the same struggle, panic, swallowing, vomiting, taking water into the lungs, and inability to breathe. This inhumane practice can cause severe psychological trauma for years. After World War II, the United States convicted Japanese soldiers of war crimes for waterboarding American and Allied prisoners of war. This method is also banned by the Geneva Convention, which was signed by the United States.

* The CIA recently admitted to using waterboarding and the Bush Administration has refused to ban intelligence personnel from using this technique in the future. It is abhorrent that this White House would soil the reputation of this great Nation as a beacon of freedom and a champion of human rights by allowing the use of torture in the same manner as brutal dictatorships.

* The Army Field Manual interrogation techniques produce dependable intelligence without resorting to torture. General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, wrote: ``Some may argue that we would be more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to obtain information from the enemy. That would be wrong. Beyond the basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also are frequently neither useful nor necessary.''

* Torture is ineffective and inhumane and it is time that the intelligence community put an end to the use of barbaric practices. If the United States continues to condone torture, we put our men and women in uniform at risk of having the same interrogation practices inflicted upon them.

* Torture is a crime against humanity and unacceptable under any circumstances. Any nation that tortures or tolerates torture is not truly free.

* My State of Minnesota has a proud tradition of fighting for victims of torture both at home and abroad. Former Governor Rudy Perpich helped to found the Center for Victims of Torture--a world renowned center for the treatment and healing of torture victims. When the Center opened in 1985, it became the first of its kind in the United States and only the third treatment center in the entire world. Today. with centers in the Twin Cities. Sierra Leone and Liberia, CVT is helping thousands of torture survivors from 60 countries.

* Madam Speaker, the reputation of the United States has been profoundly damaged in the eyes of the world as a result of the failed policies of the Bush Administration. First the world saw photographs of Abu Ghraib, then discovered that the U.S. practices extraordinary rendition, and now knows the President of the United States approves the use of torture. Torture will be a stain on President Bush's legacy and his presidency will be a dark shadow in our country's history. I strongly encourage my colleagues to overturn the Presidents veto and begin restoring the United States' moral standing in the world.

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