Senate Votes to Define and Limit Interrogation Techniques

The Senate has just voted to attach to a military spending bill language that defines and limits interrogation techniques. The measure was passed by a vote of 90-9 despite pressure from the White House and President Bush's threat to veto the bill. According to the article:

Senate GOP leaders had managed to fend off the detainee language this summer, saying Congress should not constrain the executive branch's options. But last night, 89 senators sided with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a former prisoner of war in Vietnam who led the fight for the interrogation restrictions. McCain said military officers have implored Congress for guidelines, adding that he mourns "what we lose when by official policy or by official negligence we allow, confuse or encourage our soldiers to forget . . . that which is our greatest strength: that we are different and better than our enemies."

If you want to read McCain's speech, which summarizes the language of the amendment click here.

For those interested in Senators voting against the amendment here is a list, interesting that Colorado's own Wayne Allard decided to vote against it:

Allard (R-CO) Bond (R-MO) Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS) Cornyn (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK)
Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Stevens (R-AK)



--Tom Hayes