Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) issues the following statement as a Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence calling on the President to end his troubling endorsement of waterboarding and use of torture:

“The use of waterboarding has done nothing to make our country safer and has instead violated our fundamental values and been utilized as an effective recruiting tool by our enemies,” states Congresswoman Sewell. 

“Waterboarding was correctly ended by the Bush Administration, along with bi-partisan leadership in the U.S. Senate. Congress also overwhelmingly passed legislation to ensure torture would not be conducted by any U.S. governmental agency. These were the right steps to take and continue to be so.

"I believe the President’s endorsement of these discredited interrogation methods hurts our international standing and makes our allies less willing to work with us.

“As a Member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I understand fully the threats we face as a nation. However, I will work tirelessly with my colleagues to ensure that these egregious policies are never again associated with how we conduct ourself as a nation."

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