Pete Sessions: “I heard a good deal of the remarks of the distinguished Senator from Arizona, Mr. Kyl, as he discussed the issues…”

“I heard a good deal of the remarks of the distinguished Senator from Arizona, Mr. Kyl, as he discussed the issues surrounding the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo and the actions of our military. I could not agree with him more. He is one of the Senate's finest lawyers. He is on the Judiciary Committee, where we just had hearings, and has been involved in these issues for some time. In fact, I serve with him on the Judiciary Committee and am also a Member of the Armed Services Committee. I would have to say to this body that our Congress has had a total of 29-plus hearings involving the handling of prisoners since the war on terrorism began. I think I have been at most of them. Most of them have been before the Armed Services Committee and Judiciary Committee. We have had a host of these hearings. We have had witnesses and complainants and issues brought up to us time and time again. Yesterday, at our hearing in Judiciary, I really reached a point where I just felt I had to speak out. It was in the morning before Senator Durbin made his remarks. But it was something I felt deeply, and it became more and more clear to me: that is, we in this Senate are creating an impression around the world that wholesale violations of human rights are occurring in our prisons, and this is absolutely not true. Members of our own Congress have suggested and even stated that it is the policy of our country to abuse and violate prisoners' rights.…”