Senate to Take Up Restoring Habeas Rights Denied by Cheney

June 6 (LPAC)--In the wake of two rulings bySenate Democrats -- and at least one Republican -- are moving to restore the right of prisoners to challenge their detentions.

"Senator [Arlen] Specter and I have introduced the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007 to preserve the legal process that guarantees people an opportunity to go to court and challenge the basis for their detention and any abuse of power by the Government," said Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy in a June 5 statement.

Last Fall, Vice President Dick Cheney personally armtwisted Senators and threatened a presidential veto in order to get the Military Commissions Act passed, which is now going to have to be revised or scrapped altogether.

"The Military Commissions Act currently allows the government to hold not just the detainees at Guantanamo Bay," said Senator Leahy, "but any non-citizen, including the nation's 12 million lawful permanent residents, picked up even on the unproved suspicion of being an enemy combatant, without that person having the ability to go to court to challenge his or her detention."

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take up the "Habeas Restoration Act," sponsored by seven Democrats plus Republican Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) on Thursday. According to various press accounts, Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, said he will bring the measure to the floor this month.