To sign onto the statement Torture is a Moral Issue, please visit the NRCAT website, www.tortureisamoralissue.org to read and sign the statement. More than 15,000 people of faith have signed, so far.

 NRCAT now has 105 religious organizations (including the Maine Council of Churches) that joined in its first year of existence.  NRCAT welcomes all religious organizations to join as Endorsing or Participating Members. Secular organizations are also welcome as Adjunct Members.

Here is the good news: at last there is legislation pending that rights many of the wrongs done by the Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA). It is called Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007 (RCA), S. 576 in the Senate, and H.R. 1415 in the House.   The bills have been referred to the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and the House, respectively.

 Every citizen in Maine can play a key role to end the policy of condoning torture by urging Maine Senator Susan Collins, a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to support S.576. The legislation will get out of committee and to the floor of the Senate only if some of the Republican Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee join with Democrats in support of the bill.  We hope that S.576 can be attached as an amendment to the Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization Bill, a “must pass” piece of legislation, when the Committee marks-up the DOD bill in May. 

Here is how you can make a difference: In the next 30 days,

1.  Schedule a meeting with Senator Collins or with her staff in one of the district offices – or in D.C., if that is possible - to urge support for S.576. See Talking Points below. You can call the D.C. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.  Senator Collins' District offices are the following:

Caribou State Office:
25 Sweden Street, Suite A
Caribou, ME 04736
Main: (207) 493-7873

Bangor State Office:
P.O. Box 655
202 Harlow Street, Room 204
Bangor, ME 04402
Main: (207) 945-0417

Augusta State Office:
68 Sewall Street, Room 507
Augusta, ME 04330
Main: (207) 622-8414

Lewiston State Office:
11 Lisbon Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
Main: (207) 784-6969

Biddeford State Office:
160 Main Street
Biddeford, ME 04005
Main: (207) 283-1101

Portland State Office:
One City Center, Stop 23
Portland, ME 04101
Main: (207) 780-3575

2. Ask your friends, members of your congregation, your family, and your colleagues to

* write to the district office. They can use the sample letter below as a guide. District offices are listed above - note that Senator
Collins prefers that letters be sent through regular mail to her district offices; or

* call Senator Collins's D.C. office to urge her support for S. 576, Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007. The Capitol Switchboard phone number in Washington, DC, is 202-224-3121; or

* use the more general sample letter on the NRCAT website to send to Senator Collins. The website is www.tortureisamoralissue.org .3. Let us know what you did! You can reach NRCAT at CampaignAgainstTorture@gmail.com.

Talking Points about Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007

* Reasserts adherence to the Geneva Conventions, assuring humane treatment for all prisoners, military and civilian.

* Prohibits evidence obtained through torture to be used in court. The RCA returns the U.S. to outlawing hear-say testimony and testimony obtained through "coercion."

* Holds accountable those who have authorized or committed acts of torture. Removes the current provision for retroactive immunity to American personnel who authorized or committed war crimes.

* Clarifies the definition of "enemy combatant" and no longer gives the President the power to decide who is in that category.

* Restores due process. The RCA restores the right of habeas corpus; innocent people including non-citizen detainees could no longer be held indefinitely without charge or trial as currently permitted.

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture thanks you for your commitment to restoring our country's moral authority and sense of justice and due process, reaffirming that torture is always wrong. Your actions contribute to restoring the soul of our nation.

You can find a link to both the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007 at the website for Friends Committee on National Legislation, http://www.fcnl.org/torture
.