Senate Passes Defense Bill With Controversial Detainee Policies

The Senate passed the Defense Authorization bill Thursday, a piece of legislation that contained new, controversial language on the treatment of detainees.

The provisions were crafted by the top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), and would require terror suspects to be held in military custody. 

Critics charged that the language could create a situation where American citizens could be held indefinitely.

However, prior to Thursday’s final vote, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), an opponent of the original language, amended the bill to clearly state that the intention of the bill was not to usurp existing U.S. law in regards to American citizens and legal aliens.

The legislation passed by a wide 93 to 7 margin. It was opposed by Senators Tom Coburn (R-Ok.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Mike Lee (R-Ut.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) hailed the bill’s passage as a bipartisan victory.

“Today we came together to support our troops, and ensured that this nation does everything in its power to keep America safe from those who would do us harm,” Reid said in a statement.

The House passed its form of the legislation in May.

The Obama administration has been critical of the detainee language and threatened a veto last month.