Sen. Paul Statement on Defeat of Detainee Amendment
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight, Sen. Rand Paul prevented the passage of an amendment that would have further eroded Americans' constitutional rights. Offered to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2012 (S.1867), amendment No. 1274 would have allowed the U.S. government to detain an American citizen indefinitely, even after they had been tried and found not guilty, until Congress declares an end to the war on terror.
"Suspicion of committing a crime should lead to your attempted prosecution. If the evidence does not support conviction, it would be against everything we believe in and fight for in America to still allow the government to imprison you at their whim," Sen. Paul said. "Tonight, a blow was struck to fight back against those who would take our liberty."
The amendment would have passed by voice vote, but this tactic was blocked by Sen. Paul's objection. He then forced a roll call vote, in which the amendment was defeated, 41-59.
Sen. Paul earlier this week introduced an amendment to formally end the war in Iraq. Despite the fact that troops will be removed from Iraq at the end of this year, the amendment failed 30-67.
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