A bill that protects rights: Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has introduced legislation to restore the Constitution's checks and balances and to bolster the protection of our liberties.(CONSTITUTION)

On October 15, 2007, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced H.R. 3835, the American Freedom Agenda Act of 2007. Dr. Paul announced that he was "introducing a comprehensive piece of legislation to restore the American Constitution and to restore the liberties that have been sadly eroded over the past several years." This legislation, he noted, "seeks to restore the checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution by our Founding Fathers to prevent abuse of Americans by their government. This proposed legislation would repeal the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and re-establish the traditional practice that military commissions may be used to try war crimes in places of active hostility where a rapid trial is necessary, to preserve evidence or prevent chaos."

Among other things, noted Dr. Paul, H.R. 3835 "clarifies that no information shall be admitted as evidence if it is obtained from the defendant through the use of torture or coercion." It also prohibits "kidnapping and extraordinary rendition of prisoners to foreign countries on the president's unilateral determination" that the suspect is an enemy combatant. And, says Rep. Paul, it defends the First Amendment by clarifying that journalists are not to be prevented from publishing information received from the legislative or executive branch unless such publication would cause immediate, direct, and irreparable harm to the United States.

Unlike much legislation, which frequently runs to dozens (or even hundreds) of pages, Dr. Paul's legislation is the model of brevity--fewer than 900 words. Because of its timely importance and conciseness, THE NEW AMERICAN is raking the unusual step of reproducing below the entire verbatim text of the American Freedom Agenda Act of 2007.

110TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION

H.R. 3835

To restore the Constitution's checks and balances and protections against government abuses as envisioned by the Founding Fathers.