February 08, 2007 --

Whereas, the Constitutional privilege
of the Writ of Habeas Corpus has been impaired by the Military
Commissions Act adopted by the 109th Congress and signed into law by
President George W. Bush in 2006;

Whereas, this Act abolishes a privilege fundamental to the rule of law;

Whereas, the Writ of Habeas Corpus has been abridged in a fashion unprecedented since its establishment over 800 years ago;

Whereas the Writ of Habeas Corpus is fundamental to the fight
against terrorism and tyranny, the respect of the individual, the rule
of law and of human rights;

Whereas, this fight must involve the preservation of fundamental
rights of all humans and of the rule of law, which are the bases of
democratic societies, the very values that terrorists and tyrants seek
to destroy;

Whereas, democracy being fragile, Benjamin Franklin’s declaration
that “those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little
Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” is as applicable
in the Twenty-first Century as it was in the Eighteenth Century;

Therefore, let it be resolved that the Democratic National Committee
proclaims its unwavering support for the fundamental rights and
privileges guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States,
including the Writ of Habeas Corpus, and for the preservation of such
rights and privileges as an essential protection against terrorism and
tyranny;

Be it further resolved that Democratic National Committee urges all
Democratic members of the 110th Congress to support bills before
Congress which would undo the damage to the rule of law and to the
fundamental rights and privileges of the US Constitution effected by
the Military Commissions Act by restoring the Writ of Habeas Corpus.

Submitted by:
Democrats Abroad:
Constance Borde, Michael Ceurvorst, Hong Kong, Christine Marques,
Switzerland, Robert Bell, Canada, Liv Gibbons, Ireland, Theresa
Morelli, Italy, Brent O’Leary, Japan, Leo Perez Minaya, Dominican
Republic

Co-signers (to date)
Lottie Shakelford, Senior Vice-Chair; Susan Turnbull, Vice-Chair DNC,
Maryland; Mike Honda, Vice-Chair DNC; Mark Brewer, ASDC Chair; Terry
Lierman, State Chair, Maryland; James Roosevelt, Massachusetts; Dan
Slater, DNC Colorado; Garry S. Shay, Member, Democratic National
Committee (CA) and Lead Chair Rules Committee, California Democratic
Party; Mary Ellen Early; Carolyn Warner, National Committeewoman,
Arizona; Janice Brunson, National Committeewoman, Arizona; Jenny
Greenleaf, Oregon; Rachel Binah, California; Debbie K. Marquez,
Colorado; Robert “Big Red” Rankin, California; Karen Marechioro,
National Committeewoman from Washington State; Chris Stampolis, Member,
Democratic National Committee, President, California Democratic
Council; Jean National Committeewoman, Montana; Gail Bray, Idaho
National Committeewoman; Ed Tinsley, National Committeeman, Montana;
Meredith Wood Smith, Vice Chair Democratic Party of Oregon; Marianne
Stevens, Vice Chair, Maine; Martin J. Dunleavy, Ethnic Democrats,
Connecticut; Debra Kozikowski, Vice Chair Massachusetts; Donna
Branch-Gilby, First Vice Chair, Arizona Democratic Party; Mike Honda,
Vice-Chair, DNC; Tonio Burgos, New Jersey; Karren Jo-Onukwe, Maryland.