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Congress is poised to force through a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would violate human rights and undermine the rule of law.
Provisions that were snuck into the bill with little notice from mainsteam media could spell indefinite detention without a hearing, keep Guantanamo open, and hinder fair trials. With your help, we can ensure that human rights violating provisions in the draft bill do not become law.
Here are three things you can do right now:
- Call on President Obama to veto the NDAA if Congress passes the bill with detention provisions that violate human rights. You can call the White House comment line at 202.456.1111 and send an email to the President.
- Sign up to join us in Washington DC on January 11th (the 10th anniversary of the Guantanamo prison) to protest Guantanamo, Bagram and indefinite detention.
- Call each of the members on the House and Senate Conference committee who are meeting behind closed doors to reconcile differences between the House-passed and Senate-passed versions of the bill. This is the last step before the reconciled bill is voted on the House and Senate floors and sent to the President. Below you’ll find the list of Conference committee members by state and sample text – call as many as you can, especially if you live in their state or district!
Hello, my name is ___________ and I am calling to urge Representative (or Senator)____________ to oppose detention provisions in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act–or in any other legislation–that would keep Guantanamo open; continue and possibly expand the use of indefinite detention; hinder federal trials of terror suspects; mandate military custody for some terror suspects; or otherwise violate human rights. Guantanamo detainees must either be charged and fairly tried in US federal court, or be released. Guantanamo must be closed. Thank you.
To those in red below: Express your disappointment that these Senators voted against an Amendment by Senator Udall that would have amended the rights-abusing detainee provisions.
To those in green below: Please thank the Senators and Representative for opposing the detainee provisions. And urge him or her to fight to remove the problematic provisions in conference committee.
Sen. Mark Begich ( D – AK – JR ) (202) 224-3004
Rep. Mike D. Rogers ( R – AL – 03 ) (202) 225-3261
Sen. Jeff Sessions ( R – AL – JR ) (202) 224-4124
Rep. Tim Griffin ( R – AR – 02 ) (202) 225-2506
Sen. John McCain ( R – AZ – SR ) (202) 224-2235 <-vocal supporter of the bad detention provisions
Rep. Howard Berman ( D – CA – 28 ) (202) 225-4695
Rep. Susan Davis ( D – CA – 53 ) (202) 225-2040
Rep. Duncan Hunter ( R – CA – 52 ) (202) 225-5672
Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon ( R – CA – 25 ) (202) 225-1956 <-vocal supporter of the bad detention provisions
Rep. Loretta Sanchez ( D – CA – 47 ) (202) 225-2965
Sen. Mark Udall ( D – CO – SR ) (202) 224-5941 <- vocal opponent of the bad detention provisions, thank him
Sen. Richard Blumenthal ( D – CT – JR ) (202) 224-2823
Rep. Joe Courtney ( D – CT – 02 ) (202) 225-2076
Sen. Joseph Lieberman ( I – CT – SR ) (202) 224-4041
Rep. Jeff Miller ( R – FL – 01 ) (202) 225-4136
Rep. Tom Rooney ( R – FL – 16 ) (202) 225-5792
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen ( R – FL – 18 ) (202)
225-3931
Rep. Allen West ( R – FL – 22 ) (202) 225-3026
Sen. Saxby Chambliss ( R – GA – SR ) (202) 224-3521
Del. Madeleine Z. Bordallo ( D – GU – 01 ) (202) 225-1188
Sen. Daniel Akaka ( D – HI – JR ) (202) 224-6361
Rep. Dave Loebsack ( D – IA – 02 ) (202)225-6576
Rep. Bobby Schilling ( R – IL – 17 ) (202) 225-5905
Sen. David Vitter ( R – LA – JR ) (202) 224-4623
Sen. Scott P. Brown ( R – MA – JR ) (202) 224-4543
Rep. Niki Tsongas ( D – MA – 05 ) (202) 225-3411
Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett ( R – MD – 06 ) (202) 225-2721
Sen. Susan Collins ( R – ME – JR ) (202) 224-2523
Rep. Chellie Pingree ( D – ME – 01 ) (202) 225-6116
Sen. Carl Levin ( D – MI – SR ) (202) 224-6221 <-vocal supporter of the bad detention provisions
Rep. John Kline ( R – MN – 02 ) (202) 225-2271
Rep. W. Todd Akin ( R – MO – 02 ) (202) 225-2561
Sen. Claire McCaskill ( D – MO – SR ) (202) 224-6154
Sen. Roger Wicker ( R – MS – JR ) (202) 224-6253
Sen. Kay Hagan ( D – NC – JR ) (202) 224-6342
Rep. Mike McIntyre ( D – NC – 07 ) (202) 225-2731
Sen. Ben Nelson ( D – NE – SR ) (202) 224-6551
Sen. Kelly Ayotte ( R – NH – JR ) (202) 224-3324
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen ( D – NH – SR ) (202) 224-2841
Rep. Robert E. Andrews ( D – NJ – 01 ) (202) 225-6501
Rep. Frank LoBiondo ( R – NJ – 02 ) (202) 225-6572
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand ( D – NY – JR ) (202) 224-4451
Rep. Steve Chabot ( R – OH – 01 ) (202) 225-2216
Sen. Rob Portman ( R – OH – JR ) (202) 224-3353
Rep. Mike Turner ( R – OH – 03 ) (202) 225-6465
Sen. James Inhofe ( R – OK – SR ) (202) 224-4721
Rep. Bill Shuster ( R – PA – 09 ) (202) 225-2431
Rep. James R. Langevin ( D – RI – 02 ) (202) 225-2735
Sen. Jack Reed ( D – RI – SR ) (202) 224-4642
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R – SC – SR ) (202) 224-5972 <-vocal supporter of the bad detention provisions
Rep. Jim Cooper ( D – TN – 05 ) (202) 225-4311
Rep. Mike Conaway ( R – TX – 11 ) (202) 225-3605
Sen. John Cornyn ( R – TX – JR ) (202) 224-2934
Rep. Silvestre Reyes ( D – TX – 16 ) (202) 225-4831
Rep. William “Mac” Thornberry ( R – TX – 13 ) (202) 225-3706
Rep. J. Randy Forbes ( R – VA – 04 ) (202) 225-6365
Sen. Jim Webb ( D – VA – SR ) (202) 224-4024
Rep. Rob Wittman ( R – VA – 01 ) (202) 225-4261
Rep. Rick Larsen ( D – WA – 02 ) (202) 225-2605
Rep. Adam Smith ( D – WA – 09 ) (202) 225-8901 <- vocal opponent of the bad detention provisions, thank him
Sen. Joe Manchin ( D – WV – JR ) (202) 224-3954
Also, can I request please the address of Ayman al-Zawahiri, supreme world leader of Al Qeda.
I should like to write to him a very stern letter demanding he immediately declare a complete end to the "War of Terror" his illegal criminal organization has been carrying out against innocent unarmed civilians for decades.
Once my letter writing campaign is a success and Al Qeda declares a total and permanent halt to any further mass atrocities on defenseless women and children world wide, why then I see no problem in the eventual release of the remaining criminals held at Gitmo .
True, the criminals held at Gitmo are a group of men who knowingly volunteered to become murderers for a criminal illegal mafia, were captured acting as illegal combatants carrying out armed attacks on a lawful, United Nations Security Council authorized, justified under Internationale law by the principle of self defense, mission by the United States and its allies.
They neither have POW status under the Geneva Convention as members of an illegal organized criminal conspiracy, nor do they have any inherent right to trial with US Constitutional protections after being captured illegally fighting American military during wartime on foreign soil.
But once Al Qeda responds to the pressure of my very strongly worded letter you have inspired me to compose, and Al Qeda agrees to my demand to instantly stop all future attacks on civilians, and from that point hence forth there shall remain no danger the Gitmo criminals will on release immediately return to Al Qeda to continue slaughtering innocents right where they left off a decade ago, and then even though they are cruel and heartless murderers, I can see even this most sorry collection of assassins, rapists and baby killers held at Gitmo eventually being released.
Also, can I request please the address of Ayman al-Zawahiri, supreme world leader of Al Qeda.
I should like to write to him a very stern letter demanding he immediately declare a complete end to the “War of Terror” his illegal criminal organization has been carrying out against innocent unarmed civilians for decades.
Once my letter writing campaign is a success and Al Qeda declares a total and permanent halt to any further mass atrocities on defenseless women and children world wide, why then I see no problem in the eventual release of the remaining criminals held at Gitmo .
True, the criminals held at Gitmo are a group of men who knowingly volunteered to become murderers for a criminal illegal mafia, were captured acting as illegal combatants carrying out armed attacks on a lawful, United Nations Security Council authorized, justified under Internationale law by the principle of self defense, mission by the United States and its allies.
They neither have POW status under the Geneva Convention as members of an illegal organized criminal conspiracy, nor do they have any inherent right to trial with US Constitutional protections after being captured illegally fighting American military during wartime on foreign soil.
But once Al Qeda responds to the pressure of my very strongly worded letter you have inspired me to compose, and Al Qeda agrees to my demand to instantly stop all future attacks on civilians, and from that point hence forth there shall remain no danger the Gitmo criminals will on release immediately return to Al Qeda to continue slaughtering innocents right where they left off a decade ago, and then even though they are cruel and heartless murderers, I can see even this most sorry collection of assassins, rapists and baby killers held at Gitmo eventually being released.
Huhhh? I'm confused – Obama signed en executive order 3 years ago to close GITMO – no ifs, ands, buts or questions asked! Remember how giddy you guys were? LOL.. Oh and for the billionth time – detaining enemy combatants without a federal trial is neither or "human right violation" nor does it "undermine the rule of law".
Huhhh? I’m confused – Obama signed en executive order 3 years ago to close GITMO – no ifs, ands, buts or questions asked! Remember how giddy you guys were? LOL.. Oh and for the billionth time – detaining enemy combatants without a federal trial is neither or “human right violation” nor does it “undermine the rule of law”.
@Brian This might fill you in. GITMO is not closed…and unless something changes, there is no plan to close it. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/congress-passes-662…
And you are right about the "law" but I suppose you have to ask yourself…what are human rights? You have rights as a US citizen. There are people in GITMO who have never been charged with a crime and whom have never been brought to court. Are you saying that this sort of thing doesn't concern you? It is one thing to be charged with a crime, brought to court, be found guilty, and then spend time in a US detention center. It's another thing for a person to be there without due process. Not to mention that GITMO costs the US $800,000 per detainee per year…currently there are 171 prisoners, 89 who have been cleared for release but are being held anyway because of the NDAA which you can read about through the link.
@Brian This might fill you in. GITMO is not closed…and unless something changes, there is no plan to close it. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/congress-passes-662…
And you are right about the "law" but I suppose you have to ask yourself…what are human rights? You have rights as a US citizen. There are people in GITMO who have never been charged with a crime and whom have never been brought to court. Are you saying that this sort of thing doesn't concern you? It is one thing to be charged with a crime, brought to court, be found guilty, and then spend time in a US detention center. It's another thing for a person to be there without due process. Not to mention that GITMO costs the US $800,000 per detainee per year…currently there are 171 prisoners, 89 who have been cleared for release but are being held anyway because of the NDAA which you can read about through the link.
@Brian This might fill you in. GITMO is not closed…and unless something changes, there is no plan to close it. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/congress-passes-662…
And you are right about the "law" but I suppose you have to ask yourself…what are human rights? You have rights as a US citizen. There are people in GITMO who have never been charged with a crime and whom have never been brought to court. Are you saying that this sort of thing doesn't concern you? It is one thing to be charged with a crime, brought to court, be found guilty, and then spend time in a US detention center. It's another thing for a person to be there without due process. Not to mention that GITMO costs the US $800,000 per detainee per year…currently there are 171 prisoners, 89 who have been cleared for release but are being held anyway because of the NDAA which you can read about through the link.
@Brian This might fill you in. GITMO is not closed…and unless something changes, there is no plan to close it.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/congress-passes-662-billion-defense-bill-aka-ndaa
And you are right about the “law” but I suppose you have to ask yourself…what are human rights? You have rights as a US citizen. There are people in GITMO who have never been charged with a crime and whom have never been brought to court. Are you saying that this sort of thing doesn’t concern you? It is one thing to be charged with a crime, brought to court, be found guilty, and then spend time in a US detention center. It’s another thing for a person to be there without due process. Not to mention that GITMO costs the US $800,000 per detainee per year…currently there are 171 prisoners, 89 who have been cleared for release but are being held anyway because of the NDAA which you can read about through the link.