The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“MIRANDA RIGHTS FOR ENEMY COMBATANTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7026 on June 19, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
MIRANDA RIGHTS FOR ENEMY COMBATANTS
(Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Justice Department has ordered Miranda rights to be read to terrorists captured on the battlefield. The administration is confusing constitutional rights of arrested criminal defendants in the United States with acts of war by terrorists against the United States in foreign lands.
Miranda rights ordered to be given by the Supreme Court do not apply to a group of people who have a worldwide mission to murder in the name of religion who are captured by our military in Afghanistan.
Never mind, sayeth the administration. Enemy war combatants must be told: ``You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to a lawyer. If you cannot afford a lawyer, we will provide one for you. And anything you say may be used against you.''
This new policy is misguided. Never in history have captured war combatants overseas been treated with such an overflow of privileges. They have been dealt with by our military, especially regarding interrogations.
But now I guess we are changing all that. But that ought not to be. I guess next we will have a whole battalion of lawyers going into the battlefield to tell our troops if and when they can shoot back. Have we gone a bit too far?
And that's just the way it is.
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