Shut Down Guantánamo / Disengage the Military Commissions Act
May saw two new bills introduced that would make it mandatory to shut down the detention center at Guantánamo Bay. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced S 1469 and Representative Jane Harman (D-CA-36-Venice) introduced HR 2212.
The emergence of so many bills on these issues is another indication that many people across the United States realize that torture, rendition, Guantánamo, and the guise of Military Commissions really hurt us, not only in the eyes of the world, but in our own sense of who we are as a nation.
Add another bill to the list of those created to dismantle the Military Commissions Act: On May 24, Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-CA-47) introduced HR 2543, a bill that revises the definition of unlawful enemy combatant and establishes a statutory right of habeas corpus for those held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
Each of these bills deserves a good deal of scrutiny. If you look at the BORDC legislation page, you'll see that there are several pieces of legislation addressing each of these issues already. Choosing the specific cargo for each of these bills, or choosing a bill already equipped with the necessary cargo to move towards justice is a challenge for us all. This is required reading prior to June 26, when the whole country will be ablaze in discussion on how the United States should proceed in these delicate life and death choices.
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