Support the McCain Amendment Calling for Prohibition on Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment of U.S. Detainees

APA Public Interest Policy Office: October 30, 2005

LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND
By a vote of 90-9, the U.S. Senate approved an amendment, proposed by Senator John McCain (R-AZ), to the appropriations bill for the Defense Department that calls for uniform standards of interrogation and would prohibit the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of individuals in the custody of, or under the physical control of, the United States government – regardless of nationality or physical location.

Because the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives does not include such provisions, a final version must be negotiated by a House-Senate conference committee. Under pressure from the White House, which has threatened to veto the defense bill if it includes such language, several conferees have threatened to exclude the McCain amendment.

APA INVOLVEMENT The APA ethics code requires psychologists to respect the dignity and worth of all individuals and to strive for the preservation and protection of fundamental human rights. In addition, a 1986 resolution of our APA Council of Representatives supports the U.N. Declaration and Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as well as the U.N. Principles of Medical Ethics and the joint congressional resolution opposing torture that was signed into law by President Reagan.

In August of 2005, the Council reaffirmed this resolution through its endorsement of the report of our APA Presidential Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security (PENS). Links to the Council resolution and the PENS Report are below:

APA Resolution on Human Rights:
http://www.apa.org/about/division/cpminternatl.html#3

APA Presidential Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security Report: http://www.apa.org/releases/PENSTaskForceReportFinal.pdf

WHAT YOU CAN DO If you have a Senator or Representative on the Defense Appropriations Conference Committee, please contact them and urge their support of the McCain amendment.

If your Senators or Representative are not on the conference committee, look them up by entering your zip in the box provided and ask them to contact the members of the Senate/House Department of Defense Appropriations Conference Committee. Urge their support for an amendment to H.R. 2863, the Department of Defense appropriations bill, proposed by Senator John McCain regarding the treatment of U.S. detainees.

For more information or for questions about this alert please contact the APA Public Policy Office (202.336.6062).