Issue Position: National Security

Issue Position

Military Tribunals for Terrorists

I have introduced legislation requiring terrorists to be tried as enemy combatants, not common criminals. My legislation will mandate that any terrorist who attacks the United States or its people be interrogated, prosecuted and tried in military court, not civilian court. Terrorists with ties to known terror organizations such as al Qaeda should not be afforded the same constitutional protections as American citizens, nor should sensitive homeland security and intelligence information be publicized in open, civilian court proceedings.

This bill is cosponsored by two leading national experts; the vice chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) and the vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-CA).

Osama bin Laden

The death of Osama bin Laden represents a historic victory in our fight against Al-Qaeda and terrorism across the globe. I congratulate the men and women of our Armed Forces and the intelligence community for their perseverance in finding and killing bin Laden. I would also like to commend the Obama and Bush administrations' tireless efforts in bringing the September 11th mastermind to justice. While it will not bring back the lives that were lost at his hand, America has proven once again that it will not back down when the stakes are high and the cause is just. In these dangerous times, we will continue to fight Al-Qaeda and world terrorism with an added certainty that the battle can and will be won.

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