House passes ban on CIA torture

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- The House passed a bill Thursday that requires the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies to follow the same rules as the military on torture.

The bill would ban waterboarding and force the CIA to follow the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners, The Washington Post reported. It passed 222-199, with most Democrats supporting it and most Republicans in opposition.

The White House immediately said President George W. Bush would veto the bill if it passes the Senate.

The Army released a new field manual last year that specifically bans waterboarding, sexual humiliation, mock executions and the use of dogs to frighten prisoners, and requires that prisoners be given food and medical treatment.

The Office of Management and Budget said in a statement that extending those rules to the CIA "would prevent the United States from conducting lawful interrogations of senior (al-Qaida) terrorists to obtain intelligence needed to protect Americans from attack."