FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 16, 2015
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Faith Leaders Praise Bipartisan Senate Vote to End Torture
WASHINGTON – Earlier today, with a bipartisan 78-21 vote, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment sponsored by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) to the National Defense Authorization Act that would put a permanent end to CIA torture. National faith groups including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Association of Evangelicals, the National Council of Churches, and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism supported the amendment. The National Religious Campaign Against Torture released the following statements praising the Senate for voting to include the amendment in the NDAA:
Rev. Ron Stief, executive director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, said: "For people of faith this vote expresses a widely-held moral principle that torture is always wrong. The faith community stood united behind the McCain-Feinstein amendment because torture is universally condemned by all religions. Ending torture isn't about politics, it's about who we are as a nation."
Matt Hawthorne, policy director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, added: "By passing this amendment, a bipartisan coalition in a Republican-led Senate has shown that people in both parties agree - our nation should never again resort to torture. The language in this amendment would prohibit waterboarding, confinement boxes, sleep deprivation, rectal rehydration, and other forms of documented CIA torture. Led by Senators McCain and Feinstein, the Senate has taken a principled stand against torture, and faith leaders stand with them."
The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is a membership organization committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Since its formation in January 2006, more than 300 religious organizations have joined NRCAT, including representatives from the Catholic, evangelical Christian, mainline Protestant, Unitarian Universalist, Quaker, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Baha'i, Buddhist, and Sikh communities. Members include national denominations and faith groups, regional organizations and local congregations.
NRCAT.org @NRCATtweets facebook.com/nrcat
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