UPDATE: Congress passed the intelligence bill on December 8th and 9th, 2004. No further action is requested at this time.
Following is an example of what you can say to your Senators and Representatives to oppose the divisive provisions of S.2845 and H.R. 10. It also explains why the Senate-passed language on interrogation standards is vitally important and should remain in the final legislation. Please see the list of Senate and House Conferees below, including their contact information.To the Senate
"My name is [insert name]. This call is in reference to the Conference Committee on S. 2845 and H.R.10 (the intelligence reform bill). I'm calling to urge the Senator to remain firm and not to accept any compromises that include the divisive House immigration provisions OR provisions that either amend or add to the USA PATRIOT Act. Many of these provisions raise concerns about the U.S. government’s commitment to upholding human rights. The House immigration provisions will drive millions of people further underground, alienate immigrant communities, and separate American families. This will not make us safer. And as the 9/11 Commission explained, we need “a full and informed debate on the Patriot Act.” Provisions amending the USA PATRIOT Act or enacting draft “Domestic Security Enhancement Act,” also known as “Patriot II”, should be debated next year during the discussions surrounding review of the “sunset” provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
I am particularly concerned about Section 3032 of the House-approved bill, and urge the Senator to oppose it. This provision would enshrine into law the practice of sending people to countries that engage in systematic torture solely on the basis of promises from those countries that they will not torture the person the United States is sending. This provision contradicts the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, is not needed to fight terrorism, and would tarnish America’s reputation in the world by embracing the practice of outsourcing torture to repressive governments.
I also urge the Senator not to compromise on the creation of a strong Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board to review policies across all agencies involved in protecting the nation against terrorism. It must be independent, nonpartisan, and transparent, and have the power to obtain all information it needs to do its job, which the House bill would not accomplish.
Lastly, I urge you to stand firm on Senate-passed language that requires humane and lawful standards of interrogation for both the Defense Department and the CIA. This would help ensure that the U.S. government sets an example of moral leadership in the world, as the 9-11 Commission counseled, and would help protect our own service members who may be detained abroad.”
To the House
"My name is [insert name]. This call is in reference to the Conference Committee on H.R.10 and S. 2845. I'm calling to ask the Representative to follow the Senate lead and support true bipartisan intelligence reform. The immigration provisions in the House bill will drive millions of people further underground, alienate immigrant communities, and separate American families. This will not make us safer. And as the 9/11 Commission explained, we need “a full and informed debate on the Patriot Act.” These issues and others like them can be debated next year during the discussions surrounding review of the “sunset” provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
I also ask the Representative to strike Section 3032 of the House-approved bill. Section 3032 of H.R. 10 would enshrine into law the practice of sending people to countries that engage in systematic torture solely on the basis of promises from those countries that they will not torture the person the United States is sending. This provision contradicts the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, is not needed to fight terrorism, and would tarnish America’s reputation in the world by embracing the practice of outsourcing torture to repressive governments.
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board created by the House bill lacks the strength, independence, and transparency needed to be effective and to reassure the American people that its government is committed to protecting civil liberties. The Senate version would create a board that is strong enough to subpoena the information it needs, and that is independent, nonpartisan, and transparent. I urge you to support the Senate version of the oversight board.
Lastly, I urge you to retain Senate-passed language that requires humane and lawful standards of interrogation for both the Defense Department and the CIA. This would help ensure that the U.S. government sets an example of moral leadership in the world, as the 9-11 Commission counseled, and would help protect our own service members who may be detained abroad.”
In addition to contacting your own members of Congress, please also contact conference leadership and other conferees if you have the ability to do so. Numbers are as follows:
Senate Conferees
*Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) - 202-224-2523; 202-224-2693 (fax) ALSO Governmental Affairs Committee at 202-224-4751; 202-224-9603 (fax)
* Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) - 202-224-4041; 202-224-9750 (fax)
Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) - 202-224-3353; 202-228-1382 (fax)
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) - 202-224-5641; 202-224-1152 (fax)
Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) - 202-224-2841; 202-228-4131 (fax)
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) - 202-224-4774; 202-224-3514 (fax)
Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) - 202-224-2315; 202-224-6519 (fax)
Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) - 202-224-6253; 202-224-2262 (fax)
Sen. Carl Levin(D-MI) - 202-224-6221; 202-224-1388 (fax)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) - 202-224-2152; 202-228-0400 (fax)
Sen. John Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) - 202-224-6472; 202-224-7665
Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) - 202-224-3041; 202-224-2237
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) - 202-224-3224; 202-228-4054
House Conferees
*Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) - 202-225-4401; 202-226-0779 (fax) ALSO Intelligence Committee at 202-225-4121; 202-225-1991 (fax)
* Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) - 202-225-8220; 202-226-7290 (fax)
Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) - 202-225-4561; 202-225-1166 (fax)
Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) - 202-225-2305; 202-225-7018 (fax)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) - 202-225-5672; 202-225-0235 (fax)
Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) - 202-225-5101; 202-225-3190 (fax)
Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) - 202-225-7919; 202-226-0792 (fax)
Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) - 202-225-2876; 202-225-2695 (fax)
* denotes conference leadership
Related Material
HRW: Immigrants’ Rights under Attack in House Bill (H.R. 10)
Memorandum, October 6, 2004
HRW: Congress Should Reject the Outsourcing of Torture
Letter, September 30, 2004