Blackwater bill passes House

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:24:15 -0400

U.S. Rep. David Price's bill to bring all private contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq under the U.S. criminal law passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a 389-30 vote just before noon today.

Sen. Barack Obama, an Illinois Democrat, is expected to offer a companion bill in the Senate, Barb Barrett reports.

Price, a Chapel Hill Democrat, has been working several years on improving accountability for private security contractors. Among the most well-known is Blackwater USA of Moyock, whose founder spoke on Capitol Hill this week after a shooting incident in Baghdad that killed 11 Iraqis.

Supporters argued that contractors should be subject to a court of law should they be accused of crimes.

"There seems to be strong indications that some of these contractors regard themselves as above any law," Price said. "And there does seem to be a syndrome of reckless behavior."

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Blackwater bill passes House