[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5157]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        SUPPORT FOR OVERRIDING THE PRESIDENT'S VETO OF H.R. 2082

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 3, 2008

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of 
overriding the President's veto of the Intelligence Authorization bill 
(H.R. 2082). President Bush vetoed this important bill because of a 
clause that holds the intelligence community to the same standard as 
military personnel by banning the use of waterboarding and other harsh 
interrogation techniques that are prohibited in the Army Field Manual. 
While announcing his veto, the President stated that ``this is no time 
for Congress to abandon practices that have a proven track record of 
keeping America safe.'' President Bush is misguided: the use of 
waterboarding and other tactics neither strengthens our national 
security nor improves our intelligence capabilities. The United States 
does not need to disregard human rights in order to keep our country 
safe.
  There is no doubt in my mind and I want to make it clear, 
waterboarding is torture. Some call this practice ``simulated 
drowning.'' In reality, waterboarding is drowning. The victim 
experiences the same struggle, panic, swallowing, vomiting, taking 
water into the lungs, and inability to breathe. This inhumane practice 
can cause severe psychological trauma for years. After World War II, 
the United States convicted Japanese soldiers of war crimes for 
waterboarding American and Allied prisoners of war. This method is also 
banned by the Geneva Convention, which was signed by the United States.
  The CIA recently admitted to using waterboarding and the Bush 
Administration has refused to ban intelligence personnel from using 
this technique in the future. It is abhorrent that this White House 
would soil the reputation of this great Nation as a beacon of freedom 
and a champion of human rights by allowing the use of torture in the 
same manner as brutal dictatorships.
  The Army Field Manual interrogation techniques produce dependable 
intelligence without resorting to torture. General David Petraeus, the 
top U.S. commander in Iraq, wrote: ``Some may argue that we would be 
more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to 
obtain information from the enemy. That would be wrong. Beyond the 
basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also 
are frequently neither useful nor necessary.''
  Torture is ineffective and inhumane and it is time that the 
intelligence community put an end to the use of barbaric practices. If 
the United States continues to condone torture, we put our men and 
women in uniform at risk of having the same interrogation practices 
inflicted upon them.
  Torture is a crime against humanity and unacceptable under any 
circumstances. Any nation that tortures or tolerates torture is not 
truly free.
  My State of Minnesota has a proud tradition of fighting for victims 
of torture both at home and abroad. Former Governor Rudy Perpich helped 
to found the Center for Victims of Torture--a world renowned center for 
the treatment and healing of torture victims. When the Center opened in 
1985, it became the first of its kind in the United States and only the 
third treatment center in the entire world. Today. with centers in the 
Twin Cities. Sierra Leone and Liberia, CVT is helping thousands of 
torture survivors from 60 countries.
  Madam Speaker, the reputation of the United States has been 
profoundly damaged in the eyes of the world as a result of the failed 
policies of the Bush Administration. First the world saw photographs of 
Abu Ghraib, then discovered that the U.S. practices extraordinary 
rendition, and now knows the President of the United States approves 
the use of torture. Torture will be a stain on President Bush's legacy 
and his presidency will be a dark shadow in our country's history. I 
strongly encourage my colleagues to overturn the Presidents veto and 
begin restoring the United States' moral standing in the world.

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