US Congressional Democrats Blocked in Effort to Widen Prison Torture Probe [View All]

A Republican-controlled congressional committee has blocked a Democratic legislative attempt to obtain more information from the Pentagon concerning its investigation of alleged torture of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers and civilians.

A "resolution of inquiry" can be used by members of the House of Representatives when they feel a certain part of government is not providing all the information lawmakers want. If they oppose the aim of such a resolution, majority lawmakers can vote it down at the committee level, in that case sending it with an unfavorable recommendation, to the full House for a vote.

The resolution voted on Monday by the House Armed Services Committee asks that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld turn over any photographic, video, or written information produced as part of an investigation into events at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison.

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Congresswoman Heather Wilson is a Republican on the committee. She joined Democrats in supporting efforts to obtain additional documentation from the Pentagon. In the end, the House committee voted down (28 to 21) the Democratic effort to demand more documents from the Pentagon.

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