Should the president be allowed to imprison American citizens indefinitely in military custody without charge or trial?
 
To most, the answer to this question is a resounding and definitive “NO!” 
 
Yet Congress is currently poised to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which contains provisions giving the president the power to do just that.
 
The current version (conference report) on the NDAA would authorize the President to order the military to detain without charge or trial American citizens and others far from any battlefield, including in the United States itself.   
 
Should the bill become law, the President — and all future presidents — would have the authority to indefinitely imprison people, without charge or trial, both abroad and inside the U.S., and would mandate military detention of some civilians who would otherwise be outside of military control.
 
Civil rights advocates and leaders from all the major intelligence agencies have voiced opposition to the bill and its indefinite detention provision. The Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the FBI and the head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division have all said that the indefinite detention provisions in the NDAA are harmful and counterproductive.
 
That’s why Congress needs to hear from you! 


Contact your senators and House members and ask them to vote ‘NO’ on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2012 because it allows indefinite detention without charge or trial.
 
Big thanks to our own Representative Chellie Pingree who took a stand for our rights when she refused to sign the conference committee report containing the detention provisions.  We will continue to communicate with the entire Maine delegation on this important issue – urging them to vote NO on the conference bill and to encourage a presidential veto if all else fails.
 
For more on the NDAA and why it's a problem, check out the following articles:
  • Go here to see a list of the some of the broad range of opposition. 
  • Check out this video of where we've compiled some of the most disturbing statements made by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), in support of the sweeping bill. ("and when they tell you they want a lawyer, you tell them to 'shut up'...")
  • Or here for a an informative ACLU blog on the issue.