"We are officially being governed by children.” That was Jon Stewart’s take on the June 16 Congressional hearing on the USA PATRIOT Act at which several civil and human rights experts — including HRF’s Deborah Pearlstein — were cut off mid-sentence by the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

After telling each of the speakers that they were out of time, Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) "literally took his gavel and went home!" Jon Stewart exclaimed in his Daily Show lampoon of the hearing.

Had she been allowed to finish her remarks, Deborah Pearlstein was going to urge the Committee to work with the full Congress to establish an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate U.S. interrogation and detention policies in the “war on terror.” This is what Pearlstein didn’t get to say:

“Human Rights First’s past four years of active engagement on these issues has persuaded us that a 9/11-style commission — independent, bipartisan, and of unassailable credibility — is critical to understand finally what has gone wrong in U.S. detention and interrogation operations, and to chart a way forward to accountability and correction. Today’s hearing can be a valuable first step in taking seriously the cause of liberty and safety, and we thank you for your work and your consideration.”

Click here to read Pearlstein’s complete House Judiciary testimony.

A range of bipartisan leaders have expressed concern about U.S. detention policies. Read the remarks of influential Americans, from former President Jimmy Carter to Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly. And then add your voice to this growing call: Take action to urge your members of Congress to establish an independent commission.