[JURIST] The US House Judiciary Committee [official website] approved the Military Commissions Act [HR 6054 summary] Wednesday 20-19, but only after its Republican leadership harnessed enough votes to overcome an initial 20-17 vote that would have killed the legislation. Key Republican members were missing when the first vote was taken. The House bill closely follows the controversial draft legislation [PDF text; White House fact sheet] President Bush presented [JURIST report] to Congress last week.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI) [official website] said [press release] afterwards:

The terrorist tribunals legislation provides congressional authorization to establish a fair and effective procedure to prosecute dangerous terrorists. In taking this action we provide terrorists - such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9-11 attacks - the fairness and legal protections that none of their innocent victims ever enjoyed.