[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 162 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H12031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2245
       IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO INSTRUCT ON DOD AUTHORIZATION BILL

  (Mr. SCHIFF asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the 
motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 1815, the DOD authorization bill 
that was offered earlier today by the distinguished ranking member of 
the Armed Services Committee (Mr. Skelton).
  Mr. Speaker, for over 3 years now, the Congress has failed to oversee 
the administration's policy regarding the detention of enemy 
combatants. We know very little about the criteria used to designate an 
American as an enemy combatant, even less about the due process 
afforded foreign nationals in Guantanamo and almost nothing about the 
reported existence of clandestine detention facilities operated by the 
U.S. Government.
  The motion that passed the House overwhelmingly today instructs the 
conferees to insist on a Senate-passed provision that would require the 
DNI to submit to Congress a report on any clandestine prison or 
detention prison currently or formerly operated by the U.S. Government, 
regardless of location, where the detainees in the global war on 
terrorism are or were being held.
  The conferees should retain this important provision in the Defense 
Authorization Bill.

                          ____________________