WASHINGTON — Putting new pressure on the Bush administration, the House on Wednesday endorsed a measure pushed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to outlaw torture and other forms of cruel or degrading treatment of detainees in U.S. custody.
The largely symbolic measure, which divided Republicans, forced individual House members to take a stand on McCain's closely watched drive to enshrine an explicit ban on torture into U.S. law. It passed the House on a 308-122 vote.
The vote came as McCain was in intense negotiations with the White House, arguing that any loopholes in U.S. law endangered U.S. service members held captive by enemies.
"We've got to have a clear statement that the United States by law will not engage in cruel, inhuman treatment or torture," McCain said Wednesday. "You need to do that now because of our image in the world and all the alleged abuses that have taken place."
McCain and the White House remain at loggerheads over the issue. McCain, who was tortured as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, met in his office for an hour on Wednesday with Bush's national security advisor, Stephen Hadley. The impasse has stalled work on two defense budget measures that must pass in the coming days to ensure smooth financing for operations in Iraq.
Neither side reported progress in the talks.
"This is a very dynamic discussion, and I imagine they will talk as necessary until they can reach an understanding," said Frederick Jones, a spokesman for Hadley.
"We're still negotiating," McCain said. "We have to reach agreement in the next day or two, one way or another."
McCain has proposed an amendment to both defense bills that would prohibit "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" of any person in U.S. custody anywhere in the world. It would also make the Army Field Manual, which explicitly upholds the Geneva Convention, the standard for all U.S. interrogators, including those in the CIA.
The White House has opposed the amendment, arguing that existing laws already prohibit torture and that the legislation would unnecessarily tie the president's hands in fighting terrorism. Led by Vice President Dick Cheney, administration officials also have sought to provide immunity from prosecution for government interrogators, especially those from the CIA.
However, McCain's measure was approved by a bipartisan vote of 90-9 when it faced a Senate vote in October. McCain vowed to permit no changes to the amendment's central provisions, rejecting exceptions for the CIA as well.
