Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, reintroduced the American Anti-Torture Act in order to establish a uniform, minimum standard for interrogations of detainees by the U.S. government.  The bill would ensure that individuals in U.S. custody are not tortured, a core standard already embodied in the Army Field Manual.  The bill would also clarify that interrogation techniques that are prohibited by the military’s own field manual on interrogations are similarly prohibited if used by the CIA or other government agencies.

“Torture is wholly inconsistent with democratic principles of freedom,” said Nadler.  “And it is in violation of the right to be free from cruel, unusual, and inhumane treatment at the hands of the government, a core protection embodied in our Constitution.”

While President Obama has outlawed torture by Executive Order, the American Anti-Torture Act is critical as a binding policy for all presidents and as a statement of our most basic values.

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