May, 18 2012, 10:26am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Brenda Bowser Soder at bowsersoderb@humanrightsfirst.org or 202-370-3323
House Defeats Amendment to Realign Counterterrorism Policy with American Values
This morning, the House of Representatives failed to pass the Smith-Amash amendment to the 2013 Fiscal Year's defense authorization bill, a measure that would have modified controversial provisions of the 2012 Fiscal Year's defense authorization act to ban indefinite detention in the United States and repeal mandatory military custody for foreign terrorism suspects. Human Rights First said the vote was a missed opportunity for the House to realign counterterrorism policy with American values.
WASHINGTON
This morning, the House of Representatives failed to pass the Smith-Amash amendment to the 2013 Fiscal Year's defense authorization bill, a measure that would have modified controversial provisions of the 2012 Fiscal Year's defense authorization act to ban indefinite detention in the United States and repeal mandatory military custody for foreign terrorism suspects. Human Rights First said the vote was a missed opportunity for the House to realign counterterrorism policy with American values.
"It's a shame that the House of Representatives has turned its back on our nation's security and the rule of law," said Human Rights First's Raha Wala. "Last year, Americans of all political persuasions were dismayed when politicians approved indefinite detention that could extend here in the United States. Today, the House missed opportunity to change course and realign counterterrorism policy with American values."
The defense authorization bill will be considered in the Senate Armed Services Committee next week and is expected on the floor of the full Senate shortly thereafter.
Human Rights First is a non-profit, nonpartisan international human rights organization based in New York and Washington D.C. Human Rights First believes that building respect for human rights and the rule of law will help ensure the dignity to which every individual is entitled and will stem tyranny, extremism, intolerance, and violence.
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The Wall Street Journalreported Thursday that former Trump administration officials and other supporters of the ex-president "have in recent months discussed a range of proposals, from incremental policy changes to a long-shot assertion that the president himself should play a role in setting interest rates."
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The Journal reported Thursday that "several people who have spoken with Trump about the Fed said he appears to want someone in charge of the institution who will, in effect, treat the president as an ex officio member of the central bank's rate-setting committee."
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Trump allies' plot to help the former president exert control over Fed policy if he's reelected in November provides further insight into the presumptive Republican nominee's likely approach to a second term.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump—who is facing 88 charges across four criminal cases—has vowed to be a dictator on "day one," wield federal authority to go after his political opponents, launch the "largest domestic deportation operation in American history," and use the U.S. military to crack down on protests.
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According to NBC:
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