Price bill would rein in contractors

The national intelligence reauthorization bill being considered in the U.S. House of Representatives today tries to rein in intelligence contractors who deal with detainees.

The provisions, authored in part by U.S. Rep. David Price, would bar contractors from performing interrogations on detainees, Barb Barrett reports.

It also would require a detailed report to Congress about the usage, cost and training of intelligence contractors and would require the national director of intelligence to assess whether contractors are being appropriately used.

Price, a Chapel Hill Democrat, wrote the language with U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat and member of the House Intelligence Committee.

Price pushed through language in the defense authorization bill prohibiting defense contractors from performing interrogations on detainees, and now he's extending his efforts to the intelligence community, such as the Central Intelligence Agency.

"Interrogations should be carried out by individuals that are well-trained, fall within a clear chain of command and have a sworn loyalty to the United States, not for-profit corporate contractors," said Paul Cox, Price's spokesman.

The House is expected to vote on the bill this afternoon. It then goes to the full Senate.

Syndicate content