CHEER Act

Legislation/Treaties  402(b)(3) and 403(a) of the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act, 22 U.S.C. sections 7601 et seq. (2003)  S. 1435/H.R. 1765, Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003  S. 1194/H.R. 2387, Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2003  S. 2526/H.R. 4591, Civil Liberties Restoration Act  H.R. 4676, S.2923, Second Chance Act Policies/Issues • Detention of enemy combatants held at Guantanamo Bay and other locations. • Torture and ill-treatment and interrogation policies. • Detention and treatment of aliens suspected of terrorism. • Use of military commissions, and combatant status review tribunals. • Detention and treatment of asylum seekers and non-citizens under immigration laws: the Homeland Security Enhancement Act of 2003 and the “CLEAR Act.” • Establishment and functioning of civil rights oversight mechanism in Department of Homeland Security. • Post 9-11 antiterrorism efforts, especially detention and due process issues. • Extraordinary renditions and use of diplomatic assurances. • Prison rape. • Mentally ill offenders in prison: Urged the U.S. to pass new legislation on mentally ill offenders (S. 1194/H.R. 2387, Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2003). • Urged the U.S. to repeal sections of the 402(b)(3) and 403(a) of the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act, 22 U.S.C. sections 7601 et seq. (2003), requiring the expenditure of 33 % of HIV prevention funds on abstinence-until-marriage programs. • Rights of ex-offenders: Urged U.S. to end disenfranchisement of ex-offenders in their communities regarding the right to housing and the right to vote.