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USA: Help Hold Private Military and Security Contractors Accountable for Human Rights Abuses

Employees and individual contractors of US government contracted companies are alleged to have abused, tortured and killed people in areas including Iraq and Afghanistan, but not a single one has been brought to justice. Help end impunity for human rights violations by private contractors: Urge your representative to support legislation that would bring transparency and accountability to U.S. military and security contracting. » Learn more about the Transparency and Accountability in Security Contracting Act of 2007

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Dear (recipient name),

I am writing to urge you to sign the Transparency and Accountability in Security Contracting Act of 2007 (H.R. 369). I am deeply concerned that the U.S. government and military have contracted out so many important functions of our defense, security and reconstruction efforts around the world to private companies without providing and enforcing adequate regulatory oversight and accountability.

Years after we learned of the Army’s reports implicating employees of contracted companies in the abuses at Abu Ghraib, media reports of shootings and killings by contractors continue to unfold. Yet, to date, not a single contractor has even been indicted in a criminal proceeding.

What compounds this problem of immunity is that the US government does not as yet have mechanisms in place to provide oversight of private companies. Congress does not have access to crucial information, including how many contractors are deployed, for what purposes, and with what authority, training, or qualification. Contractors are not required to report incidents of the use of force. When abuses are uncovered, they do not appear to be thoroughly investigated, and none have been prosecuted.

The Transparency and Accountability in Security Contracting Act of 2007 would:

(a)	Require companies to disclose the number of contractors carrying out a particular job, and how they have been trained, 
(b)	Establish a coordinating officer to maintain and communicate rules of engagement and other information to and from contractors, 
(c)	Extend jurisdiction of US courts to contractors working in a ‘contingency operation’ region
(d)	Require the Justice Department to report on complaints received and the status of investigations
(e)	Establish an on-site FBI unit to investigate reported incidents of use of force

I strongly urge you to co-sponsor this bill. Our government should not allow private companies to operate without ensuring adequate oversight and respect for the rule of law and fundamental human rights values. I hope you will be able to sign this most vital piece of proposed legislation, which Rep. David Price introduced early this year.

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