Lynn C. Woolsey: “I rise today to applaud the bold leadership coming from our new administration. Today President Obama signed executive…”

“I rise today to applaud the bold leadership coming from our new administration. Today President Obama signed executive orders to put an end to destructive policies of the Bush administration. Americans and people all over the world will know, once again, that the United States rejects the use of torture and that we will proceed with the rule of law. With his announcements this morning, President Obama is taking an important step for undoing the damage that has been caused over the past 8 years. The prison at Guantanamo Bay and the horrors at Abu Ghraib have so stained the honor of the United States that it will take years to regain the trust of the international community. Under the past administration the world saw a White House that operated in secrecy and was all too eager to bend and break the rule of law when it was convenient to do so. Progressives fought every step of the way and demanded an end to torture and the closure of Guantanamo Bay. President Obama is living up to his campaign promises, and he is signaling to the world a return to the very values that have led our Nation to be viewed as the greatest democracy on earth, our unyielding commitment to the rule of law and profound respect for human decency. This Congress stands ready to help the administration.”