November, 18 2008, 11:51am EDT
Coalition Releases Liberty and Security Policy Roadmap for Next Administration and Congress
WASHINGTON
A coalition of more than 25 organizations and 75 individuals
today released "Liberty
and Security: Recommendations for the Next Administration and Congress," a catalogue
of key liberty and security issues and policy recommendations.
Becky Monroe, Policy Counsel at the Constitution Project, which
coordinated the coalition's efforts, said: "'Liberty
and Security: Recommendations for the Next Administration and Congress'
reflects the ongoing, collaborative efforts of a coalition of more than 25 leading
organizations and 75 individuals to provide policymakers with a framework for
addressing liberty and security issues. The catalogue includes recommendations
drawn from the shared knowledge and experience of a broad coalition of groups devoted
to exploring the intersection of civil liberties and national security."
The catalogue specifically identifies 62 items for
congressional action and 118 items for executive action. Its 20 chapters cover
five broad issue areas: (1) detention, interrogation, and trials, (2)
immigration and national security, (3) secrecy, surveillance, and privacy, (4)
separation of powers, and (5) charities and foundations.
The catalogue is available online at https://2009transition.org/liberty-security.
For policy questions, please contact the individuals or
organizations identified in each chapter. A list of authors, contributors, and
consultants is available
here. Please direct general questions to Daniel
Schuman at the Constitution Project.
Issues addressed in the index that have recently been in the
news include: Guantanamo Bay and detainee treatment generally, the use of
torture, the use of racial/religious profiling, privacy in personal electronic
communications, government transparency, the state secrets privilege, watch
lists, executive authority in national security matters, presidential signing
statements, congressional oversight, and war powers.
The report contains the following chapters:
Charities and Foundations
- Chapter 1:
Eliminate Unnecessary Barriers To Legitimate Charitable Work
Detention, Interrogation, and Trials - Chapter 2: Closing Guantanamo
- Chapter 3: End Illegal Detention, Torture, and Rendition
- Chapter 4: Prosecute Terrorist Suspects in Accordance with the Law
Immigration and National Security - Chapter 5: Failing to Protect Refugees and Asylum
Seekers: Overly Broad Definition of
Material support for Terrorism.
- Chapter 6: Ending Immigration Enforcement Based on National Origin,
Ethnicity, and Religion
- Chapter 7: Misuse of Immigration Detention Laws in Counterterrorism Efforts
Secrecy, Surveillance, and Privacy - Chapter 8: Revising Attorney General Guidelines on FBI
Investigations|
- Chapter 9: Updating the Law Governing the Privacy of Electronic
Communications
- Chapter 10: Fusion Centers and the Expansion of Domestic Intelligence
- Chapter 11: Promoting Government Transparency
- Chapter 12: National Security Letters and Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act
- Chapter 13: Reform of the National Security Surveillance Laws and Procedures
- Chapter 14: Preventing Over-Classification and Retroactive Classification and
Promoting Declassification of Government Documents
- Chapter 15: Reforming the State Secrets Privilege
- Chapter 16: Reforming Watch Lists
Separation of Powers
- Chapter 17: Assertion of Executive Authority in National Security Matters
- Chapter 18: Executive Privilege and Congressional Oversight
- Chapter 19: Signing Statements
- Chapter 20: War Powers Authority
The Constitution Project is a politically independent think tank established in 1997 to promote and defend constitutional safeguards. More information about the Constitution Project is available at https://constitutionproject.org/.
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