Delegates to the 2005 General Assembly of the National Council of Churches USA and Church World Service, held this week in Baltimore, Md., deplored the fact that as the House of Representatives begins debate on anti-torture provisions in the 2006 defense bill, some high ranking U.S. government officials have declined to support the provisions.

"As delegates to the General Assembly of the National Council of Churches USA and Church World Service, we find any and all use of torture unacceptable and contrary to U.S. and international legal norms," the delegates said.

“We find it particularly abhorrent that our nation's law makers would fail to approve the pending legislation disavowing the use of torture by any entity on behalf of the United States government," the statement said.

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