Washington, D.C. - An editorial in today's New York Times commends Congressman David Price's amendment to prohibit private contractors from performing prisoner interrogations for the Defense Department. The amendment was included in the FY2009 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 5658), which passed the House last month. The defense bill is now being considered by the Senate.

From the editorial:

"In leading the House to passage of the ban, Representative David Price, Democrat of North Carolina, laid bare the folly of using for-profit gunslingers to undertake the highly sensitive task of handling and questioning detainees.

"Anyone interested in protecting America, Mr. Price pointed out, must see the wisdom of using interrogators 'who are well trained, who fall within a clear chain of command and who have a sworn loyalty to the United States' — not to some corporate bottom line."

The article also calls for action on another Price bill (H.R. 2740), which would ensure that all contractors working for the US government in a war zone can be brought to justice for criminal misconduct. That bill would also place Justice Department investigators in theater to immediately collect evidence and initiate prosecutions where warranted.

In an environment where American troops have to play by the rules and face prosecution for wrongdoing, Price believes it is unacceptable for private contractors to operate outside the law.

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