Back in February this year, hoping that the new presidency of Barack Obama would catalyze a quick end to the torture policies of George W. Bush, Congressman Jerrold Nadler introduced H.R. 893, legislation that would prevent the justification of torture through implausible evasion of laws already existing against torture. Nadler’s bill, called the American Anti-Torture Act of 2009, would forbid the use of “any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorized by and listed in the United States Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations”. Thus, any abusive or coercive technique, including waterboarding, would be banned, regardless of the quibbling of torture apologists.
Sadly, only 36 members of the House of Representatives have cosponsored Nadler’s legislation, and the bill has stalled in committee. The following are the 36 U.S. representatives who have cosponsored H.R. 893. If your representative’s name is not on this list, and call to make a formal request for support of the American Anti-Torture Act of 2009.
Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA, District 2), District Office Phone Number: 706-320-9477
Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-NY, District 1), District Office Phone Number: 631-696-6500
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR, District 3), District Office Phone Number: 503-231-2300
Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA, District 9), District Office Phone Number: 540-980-4310
Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA, District 23), District Office Phone Number: 805-546-8348
Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA, District 8), District Office Phone Number: 617-621-6208
Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO, District 1), District Office Phone Number: 314-367-1970
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI, District 14), District Office Phone Number: 313-961-5670
Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA, District 10), District Office Phone Number: 800-870-2626
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT, District 3), District Office Phone Number: 203-562-3718
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX, District 25), District Office Phone Number: 512-916-5921
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY, District 17), District Office Phone Number: 718-796-9700
Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA, District 2), District Office Phone Number: 215-848-9386
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA, District 51), District Office Phone Number: 619-422-5963
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY, District 22), District Office Phone Number: 607-273-1388
Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH, District 2), District Office Phone Number: 603-358-1023
Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ, District 12), District Office Phone Number: 609-750-9365
Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA, District 15), District Office Phone Number: 408-558-8085
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH, District 10), District Office Phone Number: 216-228-8850
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY, District 14), District Office Phone Number: 718-932-1804
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN, District 4), District Office Phone Number: 651-224-9191
Rep. James McGovern (D-MA, District 3), District Office Phone Number: 508-460-9292
Rep. James Moran (D-VA, District 8), District Office Phone Number: 703-971-4700
Rep. Eleanor Norton (D-DC, District 0), District Office Phone Number: 202-783-5065
Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ, District 4), District Office Phone Number: 602-256-0551
Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX, District 14), District Office Phone Number: 979-285-0231
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY, District 15), District Office Phone Number: 212-663-3900
Rep. Steven Rothman (D-NJ, District 9), District Office Phone Number: 201-646-0808
Rep. Robert Scott (D-VA, District 3), District Office Phone Number: 757-380-1000
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH, District 1), District Office Phone Number: 603-641-9536
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA, District 27), District Office Phone Number: 818-501-9200
Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA, District 10), District Office Phone Number: 707-428-7792
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD, District 8), District Office Phone Number: 301-891-6982
Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT, District 0), District Office Phone Number: 888-605-7270
Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL, District 19), District Office Phone Number: 561-988-6302
Rep. David Wu (D-OR, District 1), District Office Phone Number: 800-422-4003
