Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi:

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi:
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

- Issues -

Burma: For the last 17 years, a military junta has brutally ruled Burma with repression and violence, accumulating one of the worst human rights records in the world.
It has held Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of the National League for Democracy party, under house arrest for 12 of the last 17 years.

Tibet: If freedom loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China’s oppression in Tibet we have lost all moral authority to speak on human rights anywhere in the world. The cause of Tibet is a challenge to the conscience of the world. A challenge we can help meet."
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Sudan: Each day that the genocide continues, and each day we wait, the hope that we saw in the eyes of the youngest children will disintegrate into disease, despair, and death."
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Japan: In June of 2007, Speaker Pelosi supported a resolution passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee calling on Japan to formally acknowledge and apologize for its Imperial Armed Forces’ coercion of young ‘comfort women’ into sexual slavery during its occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands during the World War II era.

Pakistan: In January, 2008, the House passed a resolution condemning the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and reaffirming the commitment of the United States to assist the people of Pakistan in combating terrorist activity and promoting a free and democratic Pakistan.

East Timor: On February 19, 2008, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats wrote to East Timor President José Ramos-Horta, after the recent attempt on his life. Ramos-Horta was a leading figure in his country’s liberation movement and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his efforts to bring freedom and human rights to his country.

Senator Lindsay Graham

Senator Lindsay Graham is an American politician from South Carolina. A member of the Republican Party, he is currently the senior United States Senator from that state.

"When you start looking at torture statutes and you look at ways around the spirit of the law . . . you're losing the moral high ground. And that was the counsel from the Secretary of State's office, that once you start down this road that it is very hard to come back. So I do believe we have lost our way." (Confirmation hearing of Judge Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General, January 6, 2005)

Norman Bertram "Norm" Coleman Jr

Norman Bertram "Norm" Coleman Jr. is an American politician who has served as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota since 2003, serving in the 108th, 109th, and 110th congresses.

Norm Coleman, author of the Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act, announced today that $22.5 million for international treatment of torture victims and $10 million for domestic torture treatment centers were included in the Senate Foreign Operations and Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Bills for Fiscal Year 2005, respectively. Both amounts are increases over current funding levels.

Congresswoman Betty McCollum

Congresswoman Betty McCollum is a Democrat serving her fourth term in Congress representing the families of Minnesota’s Fourth District.

"In Congress, I have been proud to work as a member of the House International Relations Committee to pass the Torture Victims Relief Act. This legislation provides essential funds for treatment programs in the U.S. and centers around the world”.

Steven R. "Steve" Rothman

Steven R. "Steve" Rothman is an American Democratic Party politician, who is a member of the United States House of Representatives for New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District.

Rothman Leads Bipartisan Congressional Coalition Urging Egypt to Cease Torture of Gay Men. "We are writing to express our strong concerns regarding the treatment of homosexual men by the Egyptian government, particularly in light of the report released on March 1, 2004 by Human Rights Watch….”

US Senator Carl Levin

US Senator Carl Levin spoke on February 18 at the University of Michigan Law School on the subject of “Torture, Rule of Law and Security.” In his remarks, Levin (Democrat from Michigan) presented himself as an opponent of torture.

I urge my colleagues to support the Intelligence Authorization conference report which includes a requirement that all government agencies, including the CIA, comply with the Army Field Manual on Interrogations in the treatment and interrogation of detainees.

Senator John Warner

Senator John Warner, Former Undersecretary of the Navy and current Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"[T]his mistreatment of prisoners represents an appalling and totally unacceptable breach of military regulations and conduct. The damage done to the reputation and credibility of our nation and the armed forces has the potential to undermine substantial gains and the sacrifices by our forces and their families and those of our allies fighting with us in the cause of freedom." (May 11, 2004)