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Cracking Freedom’s Foundation

December 14, 2011

Mr. Speaker:

I rise in opposition to Section 1021 of the underlying Conference Report (H.R. 1540, the National Defense Authorization Act).

This section specifically affirms that the President has the authority to deny due process to any American it charges with "substantially supporting al Qaeda, the Taliban or any 'associated forces'" - whatever that means.

Would "substantial support" of an "associated force," mean linking a web-site to a web-site that links to a web-site affiliated with al-Qaeda? We don't know. The question is, "do we really want to find out?"

We're told not to worry - that the bill explicitly states that nothing in it shall alter existing law.

Read Tom's full floor speech here.

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Mr. Speaker:

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