For instance, one federal law makes it a war crime to violate Common Article 3.

The new legislation makes a list of nine "serious violations" of Common Article 3 federal crimes.

And we worry about, in the future, other nations maybe deciding to interpret Common Article 3 to their own purposes.

Common Article 3 does not define exactly what constitutes violations of personal dignity or degrading treatment.

The provision, known as Common Article Three, guarantees rights to prisoners.

The details of applicability are spelled out in Common Articles 2 and 3.

Common Article 3 guarantees humane treatment to combatants seized during wartime.

Congress, he said, could "help by defining our obligations" under the provision, known as Common Article Three.

For the time being, though, the idea of adopting Common Article 3 directly as the standard of treatment went no further.

"Common Article Three with its language goes well beyond the McCain standard."