House Judiciary Committee favorably reports Equal Justice for Our Military Act
The House Judiciary Committee today favorably reported the Equal Justice for Our Military Act to the full House by voice vote.
I was able to listen to some, but not all, of the markup over my laptop. During the part I was able to hear, four GOP members spoke against the bill. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex), the committee’s Ranking Member, and Rep. Coble (R-N.C.), the Ranking Member of the subcommittee that considered the bill, both noted that the Obama Administration had taken no position on the bill. Ranking Member Smith emphasized that the previous Administration had opposed the bill. Rep. Rooney (R-Fla.), who as an Army judge advocate had taught at West Point, characterized the bill as an insult to the military justice system and, though I don’t think he mentioned his name, attacked Norbert Basil MacLean III–the moving force behind the bill. Rep. Gohmert (R-Tex.) also criticized the bill, including (if memory serves) observing that terrorists shouldn’t receive more rights than U.S. servicemembers — an inapt argument considering that under the Military Commissions Act, any alien unlawful enemy combatant convicted by a military commission can ultimately seek Supreme Court review while U.S. servicemembers convicted by a court-martial can seek direct Supreme Court review only if CAAF grants review.
Once the transcript of the markup session is available, I’ll post more.
Supreme Court review?! Jesus!
This proposed is a solution in search of a problem.
This proposed law is a solution in search of a problem.