[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 17357-17358]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      SSCI STUDY OF THE CIA'S DETENTION AND INTERROGATION PROGRAM

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I would like to personally commend Senator 
Feinstein for releasing this report today. We have all heard the 
Justice Louis Brandeis quote that ``sunlight is the best disinfectant'' 
but occasionally we need a real world reminder. Today, Senator 
Feinstein and the members and staff of the Intelligence Committee have 
provided that. The findings of this report are truly remarkable, laying 
bare that the CIA interrogation program was simultaneously far more 
brutal and far less effective than previously claimed.
  This 600-page report is long overdue and makes clear that the CIA's 
so-called ``enhanced interrogation techniques'' failed to produce any 
otherwise unavailable intelligence that saved lives. At no time were 
these coercive interrogation techniques effective.
  But more critically, this report makes clear to all Americans that 
what took place was not in keeping with our ideals as a nation. We have 
no greater duty than to protect the American people and our national 
security. But the single best way to do that is--and always has been--
to do that in a manner consistent with our laws and our traditions. 
Horrific and torturous practices are explicitly prohibited and are 
never necessary. I thank Senator Feinstein, Senator Udall and other 
members of the committee for the months and years they have committed 
to making this release a reality.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on the release of 
the declassified Senate Select Intelligence Committee report on the 
CIA's past rendition, detention and interrogation practices.
  As a longtime member of the committee, I strongly support today's 
release of the declassified Executive Summary, Findings, Conclusions 
and Additional and Minority Views of the committee's report. With the 
release of this report, the American people finally have the 
information they need to understand the CIA's interrogation practices 
that spanned 2001 through 2009, when President Obama put an end to the 
Bush-era program.
  The CIA's practices went against our values as Americans and damaged 
America's global reputation. The committee's report shows not only that 
torture did not extract the ``otherwise unavailable'' intelligence that 
some CIA officials claimed, it did not work as a policy or in practice.
  I have consistently opposed the repugnance, legality and efficacy of 
torture. I supported FBI Director Robert Mueller's directive saying FBI 
agents may not participate in torture. I have repeatedly and publicly 
expressed my frustration about being lied to and manipulated by some 
CIA officials over many years. As I said during the Intelligence 
Committee's hearing confirming John Brennan as CIA Director, ``I'm 
going to be blunt and this will be no surprise to you, sir--but I've 
been on this Committee for more than 10 years, and with the exception 
of Mr. Panetta, I feel I've been jerked around by every CIA Director.''
  My views against torture have been consistent with those of Senator 
John McCain, whose stance against torture is particularly compelling 
given his own experiences as a prisoner of war. I have also supported 
the use of interrogation techniques as laid out in the Army Field 
Manual and have decried the use of contractors by the CIA in the 
torture of detainees.
  Some people have raised concerns about the timing of the release of 
this report and that our enemies could use it as a pretext for 
violence. Long before the release of this report, however, terrorist 
groups made their violent intentions towards America clear. They hate 
America and our freedoms. They use violence for the sake of violence. 
No public action is without risks, whether by President or Congress, 
but we also risk who we are as Americans by suppressing the facts in 
this report.
  I would like to reiterate that this report was reviewed and redacted 
in conjunction with the CIA and White House, and the Director of 
National Intelligence approved its declassification. It was a difficult 
process that took over a year, but we finally got to a place where the 
narrative of the report was adequately preserved while ensuring that 
CIA personnel and operations were not compromised. The DNI

[[Page 17358]]

weighed the risks and ultimately certified the declassification of the 
report.
  To be clear, my support for this report in no way diminishes my 
respect for the men and women of the CIA, who are faithfully and 
legally doing their duties. The CIA's intelligence professionals put 
their lives at risk for our country. They deserve our support and 
respect.
  I would like to thank Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman 
Dianne Feinstein for her leadership, as well as my committee colleagues 
from both sides of the aisle who supported this investigation. 
Throughout the frustrating and sometimes contentious process of 
producing this report, we never gave up on pursuing the truth. Thanks 
also to the committee staff who worked tirelessly on this report at 
great sacrifice to themselves and their families.
  This report sheds light on a complicated episode in America's 
history, but it is also a testament to the value of never giving up on 
the search for truth and accountability. I hope that future generations 
will read it, study it, learn from it and make sure that torture is 
never again used by the U.S. government.

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