Heinrich On Reports Of Executive Order On Interrogation Policies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement regarding media reports that the Trump Administration is considering an executive order to reinstate the CIA detention and interrogation program:

"Any attempt to roll back prohibitions against torture is out of step with American principles and ruins our global credibility on human rights.

“The CIA’s use of ‘black sites’ and ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ resulted in a dark chapter in our history, and was filled with gross violations of human rights. As the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Torture Report proved, these torture techniques were also a totally ineffective means of gathering credible intelligence.

“Two years ago, on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, Congress limited interrogation techniques to those included in the Army Field Manual. I was proud to help lead that effort to reaffirm the United States’ ban on the use of torture on detainees. I will do everything in my power to hold recently confirmed CIA Director Mike Pompeo accountable for following the law, and expect both Director Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mattis to keep their commitments to refuse illegal orders and to oppose torture.

“Reinstituting torture and secret prisons would damage our nation’s global standing and put American lives at risk. The world looks to America to uphold human rights. Reinstating torture flies in the face of everything we stand for as Americans.”