Congress Sends Bush Terror Tribunal Bill

President Bush, right, accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tenn. speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006 after meeting with the Senate Republican Conference. The president urged the Senate on follow the House's lead and approve a White House plan for detaining and interrogating terrorism suspects, saying, "The American people need to know we're working together to win the war on terror." (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) (Charles Dharapak - AP)

"In this new era of threats, where the stark and sober reality is that America must confront international terrorists committed to the destruction of our way of life, this bill is absolutely necessary," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.

The overall bill would prohibit war crimes and define such atrocities as rape and torture but otherwise would allow the president to interpret the Geneva Conventions, the treaty that sets standards for the treatment of war prisoners.

The bill on interrogations and trials also would eliminate some rights common in military and civilian courts. For example, the commission would be allowed to consider hearsay evidence so long as a judge determined it was reliable. Hearsay is barred from civilian courts.

The legislation also says the president can "interpret the meaning and application" of international standards for prisoner treatment, a provision intended to allow him to authorize aggressive interrogation methods that might otherwise be seen as illegal by international courts.

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The House detainee resolution is H.R. 6166. The Senate bill is S. 3930.

The House surveillance bill is H.R. 5825; the Senate bill is S. 3931.

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