[Congressional Record: June 17, 2009 (Senate)]
[Page S6687-S6706]


                         Detainee Abuse Photos

  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I come to the floor to acknowledge an
agreement I have reached with the majority leader and the
administration regarding the issue of detainee abuse photos. I think,
as my colleagues are well aware, there are some photos of alleged
detainee abuse that have existed for several years; more of the same,
nothing new. The President has decided to oppose their release.
  The ACLU filed a lawsuit asking for these photos to be released.
General Petraeus and General Odierno are the two combat commanders, and
I ask unanimous consent that their statements be printed in the Record
following my remarks.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, the lawsuit said if these photos are
released, our enemies will use them against our troops. These photos
will incite additional violence against men and women serving overseas
and Americans who are in theater. There is nothing new to be learned,
according to the President. I agree with that. These are more of the
same. The people involved at Abu Ghraib and other detainee abuse
allegations have been dealt with. The effect of releasing these photos
would be empowering our enemies. Every photo would become a bullet or
an IED. I wish to applaud the President for saying he opposes their
release.
  The status of the lawsuit is that there is a stay on the second
circuit order that would allow the photos to be released until the
Supreme Court hears the petition of certiorari filed by the Supreme
Court.
  I have been promised two things that were important to me to remove
my holds and to let the supplemental go without objection. No. 1, there
would be a freestanding vote on the Lieberman-Graham amendment, the
legislative solution to this lawsuit. The Senate has previously allowed
this legislation to become a part of the supplemental war funding bill.
It would prevent the disclosure of these photos for a 3-year period. If
the Secretary of Defense said they were harmful to our national
security interests, it could be renewed for 3 years. Senator Reid has
indicated to me that before July 8 we will have a chance to vote on
that provision as a freestanding bill, which I think will get the
Senate back on record in a timely fashion before the next court
hearing.
  Secondly, I wanted to be assured by the administration that if the
Congress fails to do its part to protect these photos from being
released, the President would sign an Executive order which would
change their classification to be classified national security
documents that would be outcome determinative of the lawsuit. Rahm
Emanuel has indicated to me that the President is committed to not ever
letting these photos see the light of day, but they agree with me that
the best way to do it is for Congress to act.
  So in light of that, I am going to remove my hold on the bills I have
a hold on, and I will support the supplemental. Because I think it is
very important for our soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines--anybody
deployed--civilian contractors and their families to know there is a
game plan. We are going to support General Petraeus and General Odierno
and all our combat commanders to make sure these photos never see the
light of day. I think we have a game plan that will work. It starts
with a vote in the Senate. I am urging the House to take this up as a
freestanding bill. There were 267 House Members who voted to keep our
language included in the supplemental. It was taken out. I am very
disappointed that it was taken out, but we now have a chance to start
over and get this right sooner rather than later.
  With that understanding, that we are going to get a freestanding vote
on the Lieberman-Graham amendment and that the administration will do
whatever is required to make sure these photos never see the light of
day if Congress fails to act, I am going to lift my hold on all the
legislation and support the supplemental. I look forward to taking this
matter up as soon as possible.
  I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.

                               Exhibit 1

           America's Top Generals Warn against Photo Release


   declaration of general david h. petraeus, commander of the united
                         states central command

     Endangering the Lives of U.S. Servicemen and Servicewomen
       ``The release of images depicting U.S. servicemen
     mistreating detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan, or that could
     be construed as depicting mistreatment, would likely deal a
     particularly hard blow to USCENTCOM and U.S. interagency
     counterinsurgency efforts in these three key nations, as well
     as further endanger the lives of U.S. Soldiers, Marines,
     Airmen, Sailors, civilians and contractors presently serving
     there.'' (Declaration of General David H. Petraeus, para. 2,
     Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals,
     Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
     Threaten Troops in Afghanistan
       ``Newly released photos depicting, or that could be
     construed as depicting, abuse of detainees in U.S. military
     custody in Iraq and Afghanistan would place U.S. servicemen
     in Afghanistan at heightened risk and corrosively affect U.S.
     relations with President Karazai's government, as well as
     further erode control of the Afghanistan government in
     general.'' (Declaration of General David H. Petraeus, para.
     12, Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals,
     Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
       ``An influx of foreign fighters from outside Afghanistan
     and new recruits from within Afghan could materialize, as the
     new photos serve as potent recruiting material to attract new
     members to join the insurgency. . . . Attacks against newly-
     arriving U.S. Marines and soon-to-arrive U.S. Army units in
     the south, and transitioning U.S. Army units in the east,
     could increase, thus further endangering the life and
     physical safety of military personnel in these regions.''
     (Declaration of General David H. Petraeus, para. 12, Motion
     to Recall Mandate, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, Docket No.
     06-3140-cv)
       ``In addition to fueling civil unrest, causing increased
     targeting of U.S. and Coalition forces, and providing an
     additional recruiting tool to insurgents and violent
     extremist groups, the destabilizing effect on our partner
     nations cannot be underestimated.'' (Declaration of General
     David H. Petraeus, para. 12, Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd
     Circuit Court of Appeals, Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
     Turn Back Progress in Iraq and Incite Violence
       ``Newly released photos depicting abuse, or that could be
     construed as depicting abuse, of Iraqis in U.S. military
     custody would inflame emotions across Iraq and trigger the
     same motivations that prompted many young men to respond to
     calls for jihad following the Abu Ghraib photo release. After
     the Abu Ghraib photos were publicized in 2004, there was a
     significant response to the call for jihad, with new
     extremists committing themselves to violence against U.S.
     forces. Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and Sunni insurgents groups
     in Iraq will likely use any release of detainee abuse
     images for propaganda purposes, and possibly as an
     opportunity to widen the call for jihad against U.S.
     forces, which could result in a near-term increase in
     recruiting and attacks.'' (Declaration of General David H.
     Petraeus, para. 7, Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd Circuit
     Court of Appeals, Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
     Help Destabilize Pakistan
       ``Newly released photos depicting abuse of detainees in
     U.S. military custody in Afghanistan and Iraq would
     negatively affect the on-going efforts by Pakistan to counter
     its internal extremist threat.'' (Declaration of General
     David H. Petraeus, para. 8, Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd
     Circuit Court of Appeals, Docket No. 06-3140-cv)


declaration of general raymond t. odierno, commander of multi-national
                          force--iraq (MNF-I)

     Release of Photos will Result in Harm to U.S. Soldiers
       ``The 2004 publication of detainee photos resulted in a
     number of posting on internet websites. Perhaps the most
     gruesome of internet reactions to the photo publication was a
     video posted in May 2004 showing the decapitation murder of
     U.S. contractor Nicholas Berg. A man believed to be Zarqawi
     specifically made the linkage between the abuses at Abu
     Ghraib and Berg's murder saying, And how does a free Muslim
     sleep comfortably watching Islam being slaughtered and [its]
     dignity being drained. The shameful photos are evil
     humiliation for Muslim men and women in the Abu Ghraib
     prison. . . . We tell you that the dignity of the Muslims at
     the Abu Ghraib prison is worth the sacrifice of blood and
     souls. We will send you coffin

[[Page S6692]]

     after coffin and box after box slaughtered this way.''
     (Declaration of General Raymond T. Odierno, para. 8, 9,
     Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals,
     Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
       ``I strongly believe the release of these photos will
     endanger the lives of U.S. Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors
     and civilians as well as the lives of our Iraqi partners.
     Certain operating units are at particular risk of harm from
     release of the photos. One example is our training teams
     throughout Iraq. These are small elements of between 15 and
     30 individuals who live on Iraqi-controlled installations and
     thus do not have the same protections afforded to many of our
     service members. In addition, as they assist our Iraqi
     partners, members of such teams are regularly engaged in
     small-unit patrols, making them more vulnerable to insurgent
     attacks or other violence directed at U.S. forces.
     Accordingly, there is good reason to conclude that the
     soldiers in those teams and in similarly situated units would
     face a particularly serious risk to their lives and physical
     safety.'' (Declaration of General Raymond T. Odierno, 4,
     Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals,
     Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
       ``MNF-1 will likely experience an increase in security
     incidents particularly aimed at U.S. personnel and facilities
     following the release of the photos. Incidents of spontaneous
     violence against U.S. forces, possibly including attacks from
     outraged Iraqi police or army members are likely. Such
     increased attacks will put U.S. forces, civilians, and Iraqi
     partners at risk of being killed, injured, or kidnapped. The
     photos will likely be used as a justification for adversaries
     conducting retribution attacks against the U.S. for bringing
     shame on Iraq.'' Declaration of General Raymond T. Odierno,
     para. 11, Motion to Recall Mandate, 2nd Circuit Court of
     Appeals, Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
     Release of 2004 Photos Resulted in Successful Attacks Against
         U.S. Forces
       ``The public dissemination of detainee abuse photos in 2004
     likely contributed to a spike in violence in Iraq during the
     third quarter of 2004 as foreign fighters and domestic
     insurgents were drawn to Iraq to train and fight. Attacks on
     C[oalition] F[orces] increased from around 700 in March 2004
     to 1800 in May (after the photographs were broadcast and
     published) and 2800 in August 2004. Attacks on C[oalition]
     F[orces] did not subside to March 2004 levels until June
     2008. These increased attacks resulted in the death of
     Coalition Forces, Iraqi forces, and civilians.'' (Declaration
     of General Raymond T. Odierno, Motion to Recall Mandate,
     para. 7, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, Docket No. 06-3140-cv)
     Increase Recruitment for Extremist Organizations and Incite
         Attacks
  ``I believe these images will be used to inflame outrage against the
U.S. and be used by terrorist organizations to recruit new members. The
release of the photos will likely incite Muslim idealists to join the
cause to seek retribution for the dishonor they may perceive to have
been brought against all Muslims by the U.S. inside Iraq, the publicity
over the images could incite additional attacks on U.S. personnel by
members of the Iraq Security Forces.'' (Declaration of General Raymond
T. Odierno, Motion to Recall Mandate, para. 16, 2nd Circuit Court of
Appeals, Docket No. 06-3140-cv)

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Utah.

[...]


[Congressional Record: June 17, 2009 (Senate)]
[Page S6742]


          DETAINEE PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS PROTECTION ACT OF 2009

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed
to the immediate consideration of S. 1285.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.

       A bill (S. 1285) to provide that certain photographic
     records relating to the treatment of any individual engaged,
     captured, or detained after September 11, 2001, by the Armed
     Forces of the United States in operations outside the United
     States shall not be subject to disclosure under section 552
     of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the
     Freedom of Information Act), to amend section 552(b)(3) of
     title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the
     Freedom of Information Act), to provide that statutory
     exemptions to the disclosure requirements of that Act shall
     specifically cite to the provision of that Act authorizing
     such exemptions, to ensure an open and deliberative process
     in Congress by providing for related legislative proposals to
     explicitly state such required citations, and for other
     purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time,
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, and any
statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 1285) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading,
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1285

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DETAINEE PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS PROTECTION.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the
     ``Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act of 2009''.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Covered record.--The term ``covered record'' means any
     record--
       (A) that is a photograph that--
       (i) was taken during the period beginning on September 11,
     2001, through January 22, 2009; and
       (ii) relates to the treatment of individuals engaged,
     captured, or detained after September 11, 2001, by the Armed
     Forces of the United States in operations outside of the
     United States; and
       (B) for which a certification by the Secretary of Defense
     under subsection (c) is in effect.
       (2) Photograph.--The term ``photograph'' encompasses all
     photographic images, whether originals or copies, including
     still photographs, negatives, digital images, films, video
     tapes, and motion pictures.
       (c) Certification.--
       (1) In general.--For any photograph described under
     subsection (b)(1)(A), the Secretary of Defense shall certify,
     if the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the
     Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, determines that the
     disclosure of that photograph would endanger --
       (A) citizens of the United States; or
       (B) members of the Armed Forces or employees of the United
     States Government deployed outside the United States.
       (2) Certification expiration.--A certification submitted
     under paragraph (1) and a renewal of a certification
     submitted under paragraph (3) shall expire 3 years after the
     date on which the certification or renewal, as the case may
     be, is submitted to the President.
       (3) Certification renewal.--The Secretary of Defense may
     submit to the President--
       (A) a renewal of a certification in accordance with
     paragraph (1) at any time; and
       (B) more than 1 renewal of a certification.
       (4) Notice to congress.--A timely notice of the Secretary's
     certification shall be submitted to Congress.
       (d) Nondisclosure of Detainee Records.--A covered record
     shall not be subject to--
       (1) disclosure under section 552 of title 5, United States
     Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information
     Act); or
       (2) disclosure under any proceeding under that section.
       (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
     construed to preclude the voluntary disclosure of a covered
     record.
       (f) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the
     date of enactment of this Act and apply to any photograph
     created before, on, or after that date that is a covered
     record.

     SEC. 2. OPEN FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

       (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``OPEN
     FOIA Act of 2009''.
       (b) Specific Citations in Statutory Exemptions.--Section
     552(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking
     paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
       ``(3) specifically exempted from disclosure by statute
     (other than section 552b of this title), if that statute--
       ``(A)(i) requires that the matters be withheld from the
     public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the
     issue; or
       ``(ii) establishes particular criteria for withholding or
     refers to particular types of matters to be withheld; and
       ``(B) if enacted after the date of enactment of the OPEN
     FOIA Act of 2009, specifically cites to this paragraph.''.

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