C4L Hill Letter – NDAA, Indefinite Detention

By Tim Shoemaker

Yesterday, in a closed door conference committee on the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, conferees stripped out an amendment that would have prohibited the indefinite detention of American citizens and lawful permanent residents.

In a letter sent to both the House and Senate today, Campaign for Liberty President John Tate urged Congressmen to vote NO on the NDAA conference report.

On behalf of over half a million Campaign for Liberty grassroots activists across the country, I urge you to oppose the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report for its deliberate insistence on allowing for the indefinite detention of American citizens.

Previously, Senators Mike Lee, Rand Paul, and others worked together to adopt an amendment to the 2013 NDAA that clearly stated the 2001 AUMF construed no authority to indefinitely detain American citizens.  That amendment was adopted last month by a vote of 67-29.

On Tuesday evening, reports surfaced that this amendment was stripped out in the conference committee and replaced with the Orwellian Section 1029, which is actually titled “Rights Unaffected.”

This egregious change is a slap in the face to civil libertarians, an affront to our Bill of Rights and due process, and just another example of Washington elites conferring unconstitutional authority on the President to carry out police state actions under the guise of “keeping us safe.”

Sixty-eight years ago this week, the Supreme Court authorized the indefinite detention of American citizens of Japanese descent during WWII.  It’s shameful our Congress is again permitting the Executive Branch to lock up American citizens and throw away the key at its whim.

Therefore, on behalf of Campaign for Liberty’s members and in defense of our fundamental rights, I urge you to stand up for the Constitution and oppose the FY 2013 NDAA Conference Report.

In Liberty,

John Tate

President

The House and Senate are both expected to vote on the conference report tomorrow.

You too can take action by calling your representative and senators at 202-224-3121 and urging them to take a stand for the Constitution by sending the FY 2013 back to conference and to prohibit indefinite detention!

Source: C4L