AP News Alert:WASHINGTON (AP) A majority of House members have voted to pass a bill on how terror-war detainees can be treated and tried. The roll call is continuing and the vote is not final.UPDATE: AP News Alert:
WASHINGTON (AP) The House has approved a bill setting guidelines for how terror-war detainees can be treated and tried.The vote is over and the measure passes.
UPDATE 2: Majority Leader John Boehner (via email), my Congressman and a great American:
"Republicans are committed to ensuring the President has every resource at his disposal to stop terrorist plots and protect the American people. To stop terrorist attacks before they happen, we need to be able to interrogate terrorist suspects, find out what they know, and put them on trial. It is outrageous that House Democrats, at the urging of their leaders, continue to oppose giving President Bush the tools he needs to protect our country. When will Democrats learn that we must put the security of the American people first, and not the politics of the day?
"The intelligence information we have gathered through this vital national security program has proven invaluable, helping thwart terrorist attacks and save American lives. This bill will allow us to continue to gather important intelligence information from foreign terrorists caught in battle, or caught while plotting attacks on America . And it will help put terrorists such as alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad on trial for their crimes.
"I would like to thank Chairman Hunter and Chairmen Sensenbrenner for exhibiting tremendous leadership on this issue, and for their work in moving this bill forward. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to send this bill to the President's desk this week."
