WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt (MA-10), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today expressed disappointment with the failure of the House to override President Bush’s veto of the Conference Report on the Intelligence Authorization bill for 2008 (H. Rept. 110-478).

Reps. Delahunt and Nadler noted that the bill was initially approved by the House on a vote of 222 – 199.  Today’s veto override, while failing to obtain the two-thirds majority required, did enjoy a support of the majority of lawmakers with a final vote of 225-188.

That bill contains a provision that mirrors legislation, the American Anti-Torture Act, authored by Reps. Nadler and Delahunt which would ensure a single, uniform, baseline standard for all interrogations conducted by the U.S. intelligence community. By extending the Army Field Manual standards to the intelligence community, the conference report effectively outlaws waterboarding.  In vetoing the bill, President Bush specifically objected to the torture provision.

“The practice of waterboarding and other acts of torture not only violate our fundamental American values, but have been proven to be ineffective techniques of interrogation,” Rep. Delahunt said. “While the House did not get the two-thirds required to override the President’s misguided veto, we have gone on record again with a majority of members saying that the American people, acting through their representatives in Washington, will not tolerate the use of torture.”

“The President rejected the will of the American people when he vetoed the legislation,” said Rep. Nadler.  “While the House did not obtain the two-thirds majority required to override, this is now the second time that a majority in the House has demanded that the White House end torture.  We will continue to investigate this Administration’s policies that undermine our fundamental freedoms, and we will continue to seek to restore the rule of law.”

In February, Reps. Nadler and Delahunt, along with 36 other Members of Congress, wrote to President Bush urging him to sign the legislation into law.  The letter is available at:

-30-