The US Senate on Tuesday, passed an annual military policy bill that has restricted moving Guantanamo Bay detainees to the USA as US President Barack Obama approaches the final year of his presidency. On Tuesday, The Senate voted on the $607 billion defense policy bill, which passed the House last week with an overwhelming majority of 370-58. Tuesday’s Senate vote was 91-3. The Congress has sent President Barack Obama a $607 billion defense policy bill which he is expected to sign even though he has been determined to oppose its ban on moving some Guantanamo Bay detainees to U.S. prisons.
The White House press secretary, Josh Earnest said that the president would sign the bill because it contains provisions deemed necessary to protect the United States. But he said the president’s signature does not change his position about the need to close the prison. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said that if Obama issues an executive order on Guantanamo, it “clearly would violate the law.”
“This is not something the American people want to see happen with Guantanamo, and so the president needs to follow the law and the law is very clear on this,” she said.
The bill imposes restrictions on transferring any of the 112 remaining detainees to the United States or a foreign country. The most vocal in congressional opposition have been the Republican senators from Colorado, Kansas and South Carolina — three states which have facilities reviewed by a Pentagon assessment team. Furthermore, the bill clearly and explicitly forbids the Obama administration from transferring or relocating Guantanamo Bay Detainees to the US or consuming funds to construct or change a prison in the United States to keep the detainees.
“Why in the world you would bring these enemy combatants to domestic soil is mind-boggling. This is absolutely nothing short of gambling national security to keep a campaign promise?” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said Monday.
The Congress has repeatedly opposed Obama’s concerns and efforts to act upon a 2008 campaign promise and close the military prison. A Pentagon report expected as early as this week identifies prisons in Colorado, Kansas and South Carolina where Guantanamo detainees could possibly be housed so the military prison in Cuba could be shut down. That has raised outrage from lawmakers, especially those from the three states.
“We all know the unfortunate and unnecessary roadblocks the defense authorization bill has faced this year. We all know that the president decided to veto the version of this bill we passed last month,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “We look forward to the president signing the bipartisan bill — along with its restrictions against bringing terrorists into the United States — into law,” he said.
As many as 775 detainees had been brought to the Guantanamo prison, which was set up after the 911 attacks. There are still 116 inmates at the prison. Washington says the prisoners are terror suspects, but has not pressed charges against most of them in any court. In spite of the immense support for the bill, lawmakers have raised concerns that Obama may use executive action to close the Guantanamo Bay prison in the near future.
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