Legislative Update: Torture Outsourcing Bill One Step Closer

(7th post in a series on the House GOP's attempt to legalize "Extraordinary Rendition". Links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.)

Via Congressman Markey's Office: The Republican leadership has released the version of the 9/11 Commission bill that will go before the full House this week. Here is a PDF version. The torture outsourcing provisions are still there. (Sections 3032 and 3033, pages 254-258.)

I didn't have much hope otherwise. I'm still pretty depressed right now.

The Senate version doesn't include the language legalizing extraordinary rendition. But given that the D.O.J. apparently requested these provisions and given the routine exclusion of Democrats and moderates from conference committees on major bills, I would be very very surprised if they were not included in the bill that comes out of conference.

Senate Democrats and moderate Republicans will probably not vote against, let alone filibuster, the bill based on this issue. Not the 9/11 Bill, not in an election year. They remember the Homeland Security Bill and the 2002 midterms. They remember how a triple amputee was successfully painted as soft on defense and this led to the loss of the Senate. I don't think it's farfetched to say that Hastert and DeLay remember too, and that it's part of the reason for the anti-immigration provisions in the bill. Heads they win, tails Democrats lose. Maybe they can even have it both ways: pass the bill AND get a few conscience-ridden Democrats to oppose it and give them negative ad fodder.

So if I had to guess, I would tell you that Markey's amendment is our last, best hope of stopping this.

I'm not very optimistic about its chances if the press--apart from the estimable Dana Priest and Charles Babington*--does not begin reporting on this. I'm also not optimistic about the chances of getting the press to report on this. If the whole liberal blogosphere jumped up and down and waved their arms at once, maybe. But there is a whole lot of other stuff going on and I think in general we lack the requisite, obsessive compulsive je ne sais quoi that got certain other stories noticed.

But I am as obsessive as they come, and will keep posting incessantly on this. Please do anything you can to help. Write a weblog post. Email your Congressman, or better yet call. (If you get a response about your Representative's position, please post it in the comments or email it to [email protected]). Email friends or family members you think would be interested. As Ted Barlow suggests, if you live in a district where a Republican incumbent is vulnerable, contact his opponent and the local newspaper about his position. Email a reporter this release about the press conference Markey, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the ACLU, Human Rights First, and the Center for Victims of Torture are holding tomorrow. Etc. etc.

*who clearly did not get the story from Obsidian Wings, by the way, much as I'd like to take credit.

Comments

[Katherine]

Legislative process question: Can the authors of the Senate bill be excluded from the conference committee?

It's Lieberman and Susan Collins. Lieberman, for all his flaws, is very good on immigrants' rights, and Collins is one of the more moderate Republicans in Congress. Both have said they want to stick closely to the 9/11 Commission's recommendations. I can't imagine they'd support this provision.

But I don't know if they'll get a say.

It is probably worth it for any Mainers and...Connecticutians? to write to them.

[Jesurgislac]

The torture outsourcing provisions are still there.

The posting rules prevent me from fully expressing my feelings about this.

[Chris Lawrence]

It's up to both the majority and minority leaders who's appointed to the conference from their own parties. Usually it's comprised of members of the relevant committees that considered the bill in each chamber.

[heet]

I am utterly disgusted. This is what we have come to.

[Nate]

I emailed my Congresscritter, Jo Ann Davis, about it when I saw the first post. Got a completely unhelpful form letter back, "blah blah blah, share your concerns, blah blah blah, full respect for civil rights blah blah blah, etc." with no details, mention of what I had sent my letter about, or anything else. Which is less than surprising for a Republican in a "safe" seat in rural Virginia, but. I could transcribe the full text if I can find the letter, if you'd like it. I emailed again when I got the form letter, haven't gotten a reply about that one yet.