Congressman Garamendi Joins Bipartisan Coalition to Protect Due Process Rights in NDAA Amendment Bipartisan Coalition will Unveil Strategy to Preserve

Due Process at Press Conference Wednesday

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, is joining forces with Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA), Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Howard Berman (D-CA), and Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) to ensure that the due process rights of persons detained in the United States are explicitly protected in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The press conference will take place on Wednesday, May 16 at 12:00 P.M. ET at the Radio-TV Gallery's HVC Studio A (access through HVC 117) at the Capitol in Washington, DC. Congressman Garamendi is also available for interviews, including via satellite or TV-quality FTP upload free to networks.

"The idea that everyone detained deserves access to a lawyer and a fair judicial process is an American value that good citizens of all backgrounds should be able to get behind," Congressman Garamendi said. "Some legal experts have expressed concern that last year’s NDAA could be interpreted to authorize indefinite detention. The Smith-Amash-Berman-Garamendi amendment simply clarifies what’s already engrained in the U.S. Constitution: we all deserve our day in court."

"When we make sure that our country adheres to our democratic principles, when we make sure that we don’t stoop to the levels of our enemies, we demonstrate to the world that America is a friend of justice the world over," Garamendi added. "Under both President Bush and President Obama, we’ve successfully tried and convicted dozens of suspected terrorists without debasing American principles. I believe adhering to core American values is an effective anti-terrorism strategy."