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----- Original Message ----- From: Congresswoman Virginia Foxx To: Sent: 9/19/2005 5:39:49 PM Subject: Responding to your message
September 19, 2005
Dear :
Thank you for contacting my office regarding the Torture Outsourcing Prevention Act. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this important issue. Please excuse the delay in responding to your letter; the demands of starting a new congressional office and creating a system for promptly responding to mail have unfortunately delayed my response. Our system is now in place and we are working diligently to respond to everyone. I hope that you subscribe, along with me, to the philosophy of "better late than never." If you find an occasion to contact me again, you will find me more prompt in responding.
Torture is inhumane and against our rules of war and I do not condone it; however, today our armed forces men and women face an enemy never seen before in warfare. They do not face our military force head on, but hide behind innocent civilians, often women and children. They employ tactics that violate rules of war as defined by the Geneva Convention. They also use American compassion against us. Increasingly, terrorists caught or captured are using our law of not extraditing individuals to countries where they could be tortured in their favor. Once caught or captured, they claim they will be tortured if deported in attempts to stay in our country to carry out their terrorist plots.
H.R. 952 is currently pending in the House Committee on International Relations, of which I am not a member. Should this legislation come to the House floor for a vote, rest assured I will study it more closely and remember your comments. Also, you may be interested in viewing my web site at www.foxx.house.gov to learn about constituent services, legislative updates and my work in Congress. I hope you will visit the web site and let me know what you think.
Sincerely,
Virginia Foxx
Member of Congress
VF :jhw
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