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Politics

New detainee bill still doesn't satisfy

The Senate judiciary chairman and others oppose stripping court jurisdiction for some suspected terrorists.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published September 26, 2006

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration's deal with Senate Republicans over detainee treatment drew protests Monday from former diplomats, lawyers and a GOP committee chairman.

They oppose a provision that would strip federal courts of jurisdiction over cases in which detainees have not been charged with war crimes. The effect, said those opposed, would be to deny terrorism suspects the ability to challenge their detainment.

Leading the charge was Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who is planning an effort to delete that provision from the bill, expected to be considered in both the Senate and the House this week.

The legislation would set up a court system to prosecute suspected terrorists, a response to a Supreme Court ruling in June that the president needed Congress' blessing to do so. Drawing protests is a provision that would bar detainees from challenging their detentions in court, the right to habeas corpus afforded defendants in military and civilian legal proceedings.

Judicial review of the detentions of terror suspects, Specter said, was needed to maintain the system's credibility in the eyes of the world. He called striking the courts' jurisdiction over such matters "inexplicable."

Specter refused to commit to voting for the bill should his amendment fail, and he had much support. Thirty-three former diplomats, several hundred New York lawyers and judges, and even Kenneth Starr, the special prosecutor who investigated President Bill Clinton, said in letters to lawmakers that the bill as written would undermine the United States' credibility as it wages war on terrorists.

The objections didn't appear to be a deal breaker for the White House.

"We continue to work with the senators on this complicated legislation, and we're confident we'll be able to pull this bill across the finish line," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in an e-mail.

House speaker stalls defense bill to get add-ons

WASHINGTON - House leaders are holding up action on a major defense bill, demanding that unrelated measures on immigration and court security be attached.

The demand leaves uncertain whether Congress will pass the bill, which authorizes military pay raises, weapons spending and research programs considered vital to national security, before the budget year starts on Sunday. Lawmakers are in a last-minute crush to pass several top-priority bills before leaving at the end of the week to campaign for the Nov. 7 midterm elections.

The House and Senate last week were nearing a deal on the 2007 defense bill when House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., decided the two items should be added: provisions targeting immigrant gang members and a proposal boosting protection of judges.

"The speaker will not move the bill unless these two security items are added to the measure," said Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean.

Tampa loses ports funding from Homeland Security

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration doled out nearly $400-million Monday to help protect seaports, commuter trains and other transit systems from terrorists, boosting money to high-risk cities that saw funding cuts earlier this year.

Major winners included New York City. Losing cities that got no money for 2006 after being on the Homeland Security Department funding list last year included Tampa, which lost funds for ports.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the new round of department grants was given out based only on risk - and should not be viewed as a competition to see which city gets the most money.

Acting chief named for Medicaid and Medicare

WASHINGTON - A lawyer who has served in two Bush administrations has been named the acting chief of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, federal officials said Monday.

Leslie Norwalk, 40, has served on the senior leadership team at the agency for the past five years, currently as the deputy administrator. She will succeed Mark McClellan, who recently announced that he is stepping down.

Norwalk could oversee CMS for several months, or even years, depending upon when President Bush nominates a permanent replacement for McClellan. She will assume the acting administrator role effective October 15.

[Last modified September 26, 2006, 00:46:15]