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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Randy Neugebauer backed legislation on Wednesday that helps American troops and intelligence officials fight the War on Terror by establishing clear rules and procedures for prosecuting terrorists.
The Military Commissions Act of 2006 (H.R. 6166), which passed by a vote of 253-168, creates a new judicial system to prosecute unlawful enemy combatants.
“In order to protect U.S. citizens and the U.S. homeland, we must be able to prosecute terrorists captured in the War on Terror,” Neugebauer said. “The Military Commissions Act establishes a full and fair legal process to put terrorists on trial and preserves the ability of our warfighters to operate effectively against a new type of enemy. We must guarantee that those terrorists who seek to destroy our country and our way of life will be brought to justice swiftly.
Under the new framework, terrorists can be tried for violating the laws of war, committing a hostile act against the United States or purposefully and materially supporting terrorists acting against the United States. The bill outlines twenty-eight specific crimes for which terrorists can be tried, including murder, taking hostages and using protected people as shields.
Following days of debate and compromise between the House, Senate and White House, the Military Commissions Act fully conforms with U.S. laws, the Geneva Conventions, and international treaty obligations. The legislation also takes comprehensive steps to ensure that terrorists are tried fairly and effectively without revealing classified information. Torture by U.S. government personnel is also prohibited by this law.
“I am pleased that this legislation accomplishes the goal of setting up a system to prosecute terrorists while, at the same time, not divulging sensitive information that could hurt our efforts to win the War on Terror and ensure the safety of all Americans,” Neugebauer said.
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