Congress
Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis of U.S. Congress’ role in national security, foreign affairs, the rule of law, and rights. Coverage includes analysis and informational resources related to the legislative process, oversight and investigations of the executive branch, and major debates on the separation of powers and Congress’ constitutional role.
2,452 Articles
The Torture Report and the “Glomar Fig Leaf”
The Glomar Explorer, the CIA ship after which the much-abused legal doctrine is named Buried in the SSCI’s report is an arresting passage that suggests that the CIA was quietly…
Guest Post: They Knew It Was Illegal
The Senate Intelligence Committee report released December 9 confirms many already-reported facts about the CIA torture program, including the agency’s use of brutal stress positions,…
State Responsibility and Reparation for Torture as a Violation of IHL
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) yesterday released the redacted executive summary of its report on the CIA’s rendition, detention and interrogation program.…
Torture: Unreliable and Inestimably Costly
A few years ago, I served as a member of the Constitution Project’s Task Force on Detainee Treatment – an 11-member, bi-partisan group of former, high-ranking officials in…
A Guantánamo (Numerical) Milestone, and What It Means…
Although public and media attention has been, understandably, focused on this morning’s release of the SSCI Torture Report, another piece of national security-related news…
Kerry Outlines 5 Key Positions: What the Administration wants in an ISIL AUMF [Updated]
In his opening statement before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry outlined the Administration’s position on five core issues…
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on AUMF and Kerry Testimony
Secretary of State John Kerry’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today has been released. The hearing, scheduled for 2:00pm today, has begun, and live…
Senate Report on Interrogation Program – Executive Summary and Opposing Views
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has finally released the executive summary of its report on the CIA interrogation program. The full document can be found at the bottom…
An AUMF for ISIL: A Survey of Different Drafts & Proposals [Updated]
[I have updated this survey to include new proposals and in light of this week’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on drafting an AUMF.] With the President now…
Highlights (and Concerns) for Senator Menendez’s Draft AUMF
Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has circulated a draft authorization for the use of force (AUMF) against ISIL. Importantly, Sen. Menendez…
The Torture Convention & Appendix M of the Army Field Manual on Interrogations
We are on the eve of the release of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s report on the Central Intelligence Agency’s interrogation program. Although this report will…
The 2015 National Defense Authorization Act: A Silver Lining for Guantanamo Detainees
Yesterday afternoon the House approved the Senate and House-agreed upon version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2015, with two noteworthy consequences for Guantanamo…