FEINGOLD WORKS TO FIX FLAWED MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT Cosponsors Legislation to Restore Core Values and Principles of Our Constitutional System February 14, 2007 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is cosponsoring legislation that would comprehensively fix the Military Commissions Act (MCA) passed by the Senate last year. Feingold is cosponsoring the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007, introduced by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), to address many of the key problems with the MCA, including restoring the writ of habeas corpus for individuals held in U.S. custody, a core part of America’s constitutional structure. The legislation also ensures that the President alone cannot decide who is subject to indefinite detention without trial, prevents people from being convicted based on evidence obtained through torture or coercion, and requires the U.S. to live up to its Geneva Convention obligations. “The Military Commissions Act enacted last year was a stain on our nation’s constitutional history,” Feingold said. “I’m pleased to work with Senator Dodd and others to reinstate fundamental due process and fair trial rights, consistent with the basic values and principles of our system of government.” Last October, Feingold voted against the Military Commissions Act for a variety of reasons, including its suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, and its sanctioning of the use of coerced testimony and hearsay in military commission trials. The legislation Feingold is cosponsoring allows the U.S. government to effectively prosecute suspected terrorists while ensuring due process and appropriate judicial review. “We can and should bring terrorists to justice,” Feingold said. “But we can do that without violating the Constitution. The checks and balances of our system of government and the fundamental fairness of the American people and legal system are among our greatest strengths in the fight against terrorism.”

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