WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement today after Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) released the 500 page executive summary of the CIA torture report, which chronicles the use of torture at secret facilities abroad by the CIA from late 2001 through January 2009.
“The report released today describes torture policies that are contrary to American values and to our Constitution. The Bush administration’s oversight failures tarnished our standing within the international community. The report proves that compromising our values as a nation will not make us any safer.
“No country should be allowed to violate human rights with impunity. We thank Senator Feinstein for releasing this report and for holding our nation accountable. We applaud President Obama’s leadership in ending the use of torture when he came to office in 2009 and for supporting the release of the report.
“Now that we know the extent of this dark chapter in our history, the work of reconciliation can begin. Seeing these crimes in the light of day is the only way we can ensure our nation never allows the use of torture again.”
The Progressive Caucus will always be committed to ending torture and has long called for the closing of the detention center at Guantánamo Bay. Most recently, the CPC sent a letter to President Obama requesting the release of video recordings to members of Congress reportedly showing Guantánamo Bay detainees who are being force-fed while on hunger-strike.
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