Nadler and Delahunt Move to Ban all Forms of Torture by US Officials Share on Facebook Share on X Print this Page Share by Email Washington, DC, February 4, 2009 Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Congressman Bill Delahunt (MA-10), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, reintroduced the American Anti-Torture Act of 2009. This critical bill would ensure a single, uniform, baseline standard for all interrogations conducted on people in the custody of – or under the effective control of – the U.S. Government. Specifically, the Nadler-Delahunt bill would require that all interrogations comply with the standards set forth in the Army Field Manual. This would extend to ALL agencies, including the CIA, which, under Bush Administration policy, was responsible for carrying out the so-called “enhanced” or “alternate” interrogation program and for operating secret overseas prisons. This clarification of the law would outlaw waterboarding, a method of simulated drowning. “While we must remain steadfast in our resolve to stop terrorists before they act and bring them to justice, we must always ensure that we are not sacrificing our laws and ideals in the process,” said Rep. Nadler. “With the new Administration of President Obama, we now have the promise of a more humane and moral interrogation policy, and of a policy which actually supports habeas corpus and due process of the law. In banning all forms of torture by American officials, the American Anti-Torture Act will go a great distance toward reaffirming American ideals and restoring our image throughout the world.” “The use of torture not only contradicts our commitment to the rule of law and basic human decency but has been proven to be ineffective,” said Rep. Delahunt. “I applaud President Obama for issuing an executive order banning these practices, and it is time for the Congress to follow his lead and enact into law a single baseline standard for interrogations that is consistent with our core American values.” While one of President Obama’s first acts as president was to issue an executive order banning the use of torture and enforcing compliance with the Army Field Manual, this bill will serve to codify that standard into law to bind future administrations and to make sure that our laws accurately reflect American values.