Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the author of the Restoring the Constitution Act, applauded President Obama’s executive orders to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay within a year, close secret prisons and revise detention and interrogation policies.

“Today, the United States has taken a first step down the long road toward restoring our moral authority, while ensuring our security.  With President Obama’s signatures, we will be more effective in our efforts to prevent, detain, and prosecute those who would harm us.  In addition, today’s orders have reasserted our nation’s commitment and adherence to the rule of law.

“To be absolutely clear, those who are a threat to America, who are guilty of crimes, must and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.  But if we have learned anything from the last eight years, it is that there is a right way to protect our nation, and a wrong way.  America has an obligation to provide a fair and credible process for bringing suspected terrorists to justice.

“Under the Bush Administration, Guantánamo and the CIA’s secret prisons became an international embarrassment – a symbol of abuse and the breakdown of law, which is why I have spoken so often about our moral responsibility to close them.

“I will remain vigilant in working with the Obama Administration to ensure today’s orders are implemented, and will closely monitor the many issues yet to be decided – from when and how the detention facility is closed, to ensuring CIA interrogation methods never again cross the line into torture.  I believe that with today’s actions we have begun the process of striking the right balance between ensuring both our security and the rule of law.” 

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