Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007

A bill to provide for the effective prosecution of terrorists and guarantee due process rights.

2/13/2007--Introduced.
Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007 - Amends federal provisions concerning the prosecution of unlawful enemy combatants by U.S. military commissions to, among other things:
(1) repeal the authority for civilian trial (prosecution) counsel in a commission proceeding, but authorize civilian military defense counsel;
(2) exclude statements made by coercion;
(3) authorize the Secretary of Defense to make exceptions to commission procedures and rules of evidence as required by unique circumstances of military or intelligence operations during hostilities;
(4) provide for self-representation by the accused, while requiring assistance by military defense counsel;
(5) authorize the military judge to order trial counsel to disclose to defense counsel the sources, methods, or activities in which witnesses or evidence against the accused was obtained;
(6) require commission decision review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces rather than by the Court of Military Commission Review;
(7) provide the scope of review of detention-related decisions;
(8) repeal a provision of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 prohibiting invoking the Geneva Conventions (Conventions) or similar protocols in any habeas corpus or other action to which the United States is a party;
(9) require the President to notify other parties to the Conventions that the United States expects members of U.S. Armed Forces and other U.S. citizens detained in a conflict not of an international character to be treated in a manner consistent with the Conventions;
(10) include as War Crime offenses the denial of trial rights and the imposition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment;
(11) restore habeas corpus for individuals detained by the United States; and
(12) provide for expedited judicial review of civil actions that challenges any provision of the Military Commissions Act of 2006.


... morehide bill summarySee Full Bill Text

Sponsor

• Sen. Christopher Dodd [D, CT]
• and 13 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Jeff Bingaman [D, NM]
  • Sen. Barbara Boxer [D, CA]
  • Sen. Sherrod Brown [D, OH]
  • Sen. Russell Feingold [D, WI]
  • Sen. Thomas Harkin [D, IA]
  • Sen. Edward Kennedy [D, MA]
  • Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D, NJ]
  • Sen. Patrick Leahy [D, VT]
  • Sen. Robert Menendez [D, NJ]
  • Sen. Barbara Mikulski [D, MD]
  • Sen. Barack Obama [D, IL]
  • Sen. Bernard Sanders [I, VT]
  • Sen. Ron Wyden [D, OR]
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Committees

• Senate Armed Services

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.576

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
February 13, 2007

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All Bill Actions

• Sep 17, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11563)
• Feb 13, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
• Feb 13, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1918-1919)
• Introduced on Feb 13, 2007.
• Feb 13, 2007: Introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1918-1919)

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Related Bills:

• H.R.1415

Related Issue Areas:

• Defense policy
• Appellate courts
• Appellate procedure
• Armed forces
• 43 more
• Civil liberties
• Civil procedure
• Congress
• Congress and foreign policy
• Congressional oversight
• Conspiracy
• Constitution
• Constitutional law
• Counterterrorism
• Courts-martial and courts of inquiry
• Criminal justice
• Criminal procedure
• Discovery (Law)
• District courts
• Due process of law
• Evidence (Law)
• Exclusionary rule (Evidence)
• Foreign policy
• Government attorneys
• Habeas corpus
• Hearsay evidence
• Human rights
• Intelligence activities
• International affairs
• Judicial review
• Jurisdiction
• Law
• Lawyers
• Presidential powers
• Presidents
• Prisoners of war
• Punishment
• Searches and seizures
• September 11, 2001
• Supreme Court
• Terrorism
• Terrorists
• Torture
• Treaties
• War crimes
• Warrants (Law)
• Witnesses
• Iraq compilation

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In the News

January 10, 2008 WORLD VIEW TWO

Two bills have been introduced in Congress that would restore habeas corpus rights - the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007 (HR 1415, S. 576) and the ...

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Source: The People's Voice, TN

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July 07, 2007 Senators Ready Iraq Amendments

Presidential candidate Christopher J. Dodd , D-Conn., has a bill ( S 576 ) that would change the military commissions act (PL 109-366), and could also ...

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Source: Congressional Quarterly, DC

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July 03, 2007 Five for the Fourth

... candidate Senator Chris Dodd has made defending our Constitution a focus of his campaign with the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007, S. 576. ...

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Source: The Nation., NY

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Blog Coverage

July 11, 2008 Rheinland-Pfalz

S. 576, BS 2012-10) in der jeweils geltenden Fassung 25,00 bis 100,00“. (2) Durch die Änderungsbestimmung des Absatzes 1 bleibt die Befugnis der zuständigen Stelle, die Landesverordnung über die Gebühren der allgemeinen und inneren ...

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March 01, 2008 TERRI FARLEY AND HER YOUNG FANS WORKING TO SAVE HORSES

Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) has introduced a companion bill, S. 576, in the Senate. Find Out More Visit these websites for further discussion of this issue: Find the exact language of the rider in the omnibus budget bill at ...

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Source: "TEAM BARBARO WISCONSIN"

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February 15, 2008 The Characterization Business

Here's the CNN headline: Clinton sharpens attack on Obama The article goes on to report what Senator Clinton said, ... wondering when either of the Democratic candidates will come out in favor of S.576, or if either

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