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ACLU Obtains More Documents Related to Bush Administration Torture Program (10/30/2009)
NEW YORK - The government today handed over to the American Civil Liberties Union numerous documents in response to two ACLU Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits for information related to the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody overseas. Thousands of pages of documents detailing the interrogation of prisoners by the FBI, Department of Defense (DOD) and CIA have previously been made public as a result of the lawsuits.

President Signs Law Giving Defense Department Authority To Exempt Photos From Freedom Of Information Act (10/29/2009)
WASHINGTON – President Obama today signed into law a Homeland Security appropriations bill that grants the Department of Defense (DOD) the authority to continue suppressing photos of prisoner abuse. The amendment, which would allow the DOD to exempt photos from the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), is aimed at photos ordered released by a federal appeals court as part of an American Civil Liberties Union FOIA lawsuit for photos and other records related to detainee abuse in U.S. custody overseas, although it would apply to other photos in government custody as well. Earlier this month, the ACLU sent a letter to Secretary Robert Gates urging him not to exercise the authority to suppress the photos in their case, stating that the photos "are of critical relevance to an ongoing national debate about accountability."

Pivotal Juvenile Justice Legislation Passes First Hurdle (10/29/2009)
WASHINGTON – A bipartisan bill to combat youth violence was passed by the House Subcommittee on Crime today. The bill, H.R. 1064, would fund prevention and intervention programs that are comprehensive, community-centered and evidence-based efforts to combat gangs and youth violence. The Youth Prison, Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support and Education Act, known as “Youth PROMISE,” is sponsored by Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) and currently has over 230 cosponsors. The bill is expected to be marked up by the full House Judiciary Committee soon.

President Obama Signs Military Commissions Changes Into Law (10/28/2009)
WASHINGTON – President Obama today signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes significant changes to the Guantánamo military commissions. The American Civil Liberties Union is calling on the Obama administration to abandon the fatally flawed military commissions system and, where evidence of terrorism crimes exists, try the Guantánamo detainees in federal courts.

Congress To Investigate CIA For Possible Violations Of National Security Act (10/28/2009)
WASHINGTON – Members of Congress have begun an investigation into allegations that the CIA intentionally violated the National Security Act of 1947 by misleading them about its intelligence activities and programs on several occasions, including the agency’s use of torture and the destruction of interrogation videotapes. The Act requires the president and his intelligence agencies to keep Congress “fully and currently informed” about all U.S. intelligence activities. House Intelligence Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management Chairwoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) will investigate the adequacy and truthfulness of the CIA’s congressional briefings, spurred by the allegation earlier this year that Congress was not notified about a Bush administration program to assassinate top al Qaeda members.