H.R. 4951: To require the videotaping of interrogations and other pertinent actions between a detainee or prisoner in the custody or under the effective control of the armed forces of the United States pursuant to an interrogation, or other pertinent interaction, for the purpose of gathering intelligence and a member of the armed forces of the United States, an intelligence operative of the United States, or a contractor of the United States.

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H.R. 4951: To require the videotaping of interrogations and other pertinent actions between a detainee or prisoner in the custody or under the effective control of the armed forces of the United States pursuant to an interrogation, or other pertinent interaction, for the purpose of gathering intelligence and a member of the armed forces of the United States, an intelligence operative of the United States, or a contractor of the United States.

108th Congress · introduced 2004-07-22 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

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Official title

To require the videotaping of interrogations and other pertinent actions between a detainee or prisoner in the custody or under the effective control of the armed forces of the United States pursuant to an interrogation, or other pertinent interaction, for the purpose of gathering intelligence and a member of the armed forces of the United States, an intelligence operative of the United States, or a contractor of the United States.

Plain summary

Requires the President to take such actions as are necessary, in accordance with specified laws and treaties, to ensure the videotaping of interrogations and other intelligence-related interactions between detainees or prisoners under the effective control of the U.S. Armed Forces, and members of the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S. intelligence operatives, or contractors of the United States. Directs the President to provide for the appropriate classification of such videotapes. Requires such videotapes to be made available, under seal if appropriate, to both the prosecution and defense if material to any military or civilian criminal proceeding. Requires the President to take necessary actions to ensure immediate and unfettered access to detainees or prisoners in the custody or effective control of the U.S. Armed Forces by the following organizations: (1) International Federation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent; (2) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; and (3) United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture. Directs the Judge Advocate General to develop guidelines to ensure that the videotaping required by this Act is sufficiently expansive to prevent any abuse of detainees and prisoners and violations of specified laws and treaties.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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Sponsor: Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12] · 0 cosponsors

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Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-108hr4951.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/108/hr>

Record fed-us-cong108-hr4951 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108