Bringing Terrorists to Justice Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-3861
Sponsor: Sen. Frist, William H. [R-TN]
Introduced: 2006-09-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Air piracy
Appellate procedure
Biological warfare
Capital punishment
Chemical warfare
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Confession (Law)
Congress
Congress and military policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Conspiracy
Court records
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal liability
Death
Destruction of property
Detention of persons
Due process of law
Emblems
Environmental Protection
Espionage
Evidence (Law)
Government Operations and Politics
Hostages
Human rights
Imprisonment
International Affairs
Judges
Judicial review
Jurisdiction
Law
Military law
Murder
Pleas (Criminal procedure)
Poisons
Pretrial procedure
Prisoners
Prisoners of war
Rape
Right to counsel
Self-incrimination
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Sex crimes
Suspects' rights
Terrorism
Torture
Transportation and Public Works
Treaties
Trials
War casualties
War crimes
Witnesses
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-06
text: 
 Bringing Terrorists to Justice Act of 2006 - Authorizes the: (1) President to establish military commissions (commissions) to try individuals for violations of the law of war and other triable offenses; (2) commissions to impose upon any person found guilty any sentence appropriate to the offense, including death or imprisonment for life; and (3) Secretary of Defense to carry out such sentences.
 
Amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to codify and establish procedures governing the use of commissions to try unlawful enemy combatants for violations of triable offenses. Makes eligible to serve on a commission any U.S. commissioned officer on active duty. Requires to be detailed to each commission a military judge, trial and military defense counsel, and reporters and interpreters. Requires at least five members in each commission.
 
Prescribes, with respect to each established commission, pre-trial and trial procedures, including charges, rules of evidence, pleas, opportunity to obtain witnesses and other evidence, and defenses. Requires: (1) a two-thirds commission member vote for conviction; (2) a three-fourths member vote for a sentence of life imprisonment or confinement of more than ten years; and (3) a unanimous vote by at least 12 members in a case in which the death penalty is sought.
 
Prescribes post-trial procedures and reviews of commission actions, including appeal by the United States, rehearings, and review by the Court of Military Commission Review, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
 
Outlines offenses triable by commissions.
 
Amends the federal criminal code to add certain actions to be considered violations of the War Crimes Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-09-13
text: Star Print ordered on the bill.
action_date: 2006-09-08
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 595.
action_date: 2006-09-06
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9113-9122)
action_date: 2006-09-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9060)
action_date: 2006-09-06
text: Introduced in Senate