Action Alert: Anti-torture legislation today in the Senate

Dear Friends:

On Wednesday evening, the House of Representatives passed an Iraq withdrawal bill that provides interim funding for the hostilities in Iraq and calls for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. It includes an anti-torture provision that would require all government agencies - including the CIA - to follow the Army Field Manual when conducting interrogations. In doing so, it would prohibit torture and other such "harsh" interrogation techniques. Majority Leader Harry Reid has said that he will bring this bill before the Senate today (Friday, November 16, 2007).

NRCAT strongly supports this anti-torture provision.   NRCAT does not take a position on the war, since our focus is ending U.S.-sponsored torture. That said, we don't want to let the Senate debate a bill that relates to torture without giving you the opportunity to express your support for the anti-torture provisions in the bill.

You are urged to contact - by phone or by email - your Senators to express your support for the provision that would require the CIA and other government agencies to abide by the restrictions in the Army Field Manual on Interrogations. You can contact your Senators by calling the Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121, or you can look up their direct lines and their email addresses at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

Thank you for everything you do to end U.S.-sponsored torture.

You have received this message because you endorsed the "Torture is a Moral Issue" statement of the National Religous Campaign Against Torture OR you signed up to receive more information from NRCAT.