McCain, Graham push US detainee treatment legislation despite Bush veto threat News
McCain, Graham push US detainee treatment legislation despite Bush veto threat

[JURIST] US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) [official website] has resurrected proposed legislation [IPS report] that would impose restrictions on the detention, interrogation and prosecution of terror suspects. McCain's proposal, to be added as an amendment to the military spending bill up for a vote in the Senate by Friday, would ban the use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" against any detainee in US custody and would require all US military to follow Army Field Manual [interrogation manual; additional manuals] procedures when detaining and interrogating suspects. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) [official website] may also reintroduce a proposal that defines "enemy combatant" and establishes procedures for the prosecution of detainees at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive]. McCain and Graham both offered the proposals in July [JURIST report], but they were withdrawn in part due to White House opposition. Last week, the White House threatened to veto the $440 billion defense spending bill [JURIST report] if the amendments are added. AP has more.

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