House panel votes to block Obama Gitmo plan

[SpartanDem]

President Barack Obama’s hopes of closing the Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects is slipping further away. The defense authorization bill approved 59-0 by the House Armed Services Committee late Wednesday night contains language barring funding to build or convert any facility in the U.S. to accept former Guantanamo detainees.

Such a provision could scuttle Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo by purchasing a state prison in Thomson, Ill., to house some of those now at Gitmo. The administration had sought $350 million in Department of Defense funding for Guantanamo-related closure and transfer expenses and an additional $237 million in Department of Justice funding for the Thomson site, including paying the state for the jail.

“The committee firmly believes that the construction or modification of any facility in the U.S. to detain or imprison individuals currently being held at Guantanamo must be accompanied by a thorough and comprehensive plan that outlines the merits, costs and risks associated with utilizing such a facility. No such plan has been presented to date,” according to a summary released by the House Armed Services Committee.

The White House had no official comment on the committee’s action, but an official noted that the National Defense Authorization Act doesn’t entirely reject the idea of jailing Guantanamo prisoners in the U.S.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/0510/House_panel_votes_to_block_Obama_Gitmo_plan.html


I think we can conclude that Gitmo won't be closed there is no will from Congress to fund it.

[NYC Liberal]

1. It's Obama's fault that Gitmo isn't closed yet.

I mean he could just ignore the law like Bush did.

[KonaKane]

2. He signed an ex order to close Gitmo two days into his presidency.

No guarantee that he was going to get any cooperation from his own government to do it, of course...and an annoying lack of recognition that he even signed the order.

[NYC Liberal]

3. How about a signing statement?

He could attach a note to the bill before he signs it saying he believes that particular provision is "unconstitutional" and he's going to ignore it.

Now all we have to do is forget that we were furious when Bush pulled that crap and all is good!

[Arkana]

4. What's wrong with that Obama fellow?!

He could just close it by executive order!

I mean it's not like we need MONEY for it. Or a place to PUT all the detainees.

:sarcasm: