Sixth Amendment Preservation Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to limit the detention authority of the United States. Current law prohibits the indefinite detention of a U.S. citizen by the United States unless it is authorized by an act of Congress. This bill prohibits the indefinite detention of any person by the United States unless it is consistent with the Constitution. Additionally, it specifies that a general authorization to use military force or similar measure, on its own, does not authorize the indefinite detention of a person who is arrested in the United States. Finally, the bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 to repeal a provision that affirms the authority of the Armed Forces to detain individuals captured in connection with hostilities pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force pending the end of hostilities.
Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better
Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Crime and Law Enforcement
Conflicts and warsCriminal procedure and sentencingDetention of personsMilitary operations and strategyWar and emergency powers
A bill to prohibit the indefinite detention of persons by the United States, and for other purposes.
USA115th CongressS-1300| Senate
| Updated: 6/7/2017
Sixth Amendment Preservation Act This bill amends the federal criminal code to limit the detention authority of the United States. Current law prohibits the indefinite detention of a U.S. citizen by the United States unless it is authorized by an act of Congress. This bill prohibits the indefinite detention of any person by the United States unless it is consistent with the Constitution. Additionally, it specifies that a general authorization to use military force or similar measure, on its own, does not authorize the indefinite detention of a person who is arrested in the United States. Finally, the bill amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 to repeal a provision that affirms the authority of the Armed Forces to detain individuals captured in connection with hostilities pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force pending the end of hostilities.