Legislation Would Also Prohibit The Closure or Transfer to Cuba of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo
U.S. SENATE —Following yesterday’s announcement that the Obama administration had released two more Guantanamo Bay detainees, Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bill that would permanently ban the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. and would suspend the release of Guantanamo detainees internationally until September 30, 2017.
Daines’ bill the Detaining Terrorists to Protect Americans Act of 2016, would permanently prohibit the closure or transfer of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
“Terrorists captured by U.S. forces belong in Guantanamo, a location that has played a pivotal role for collecting intelligence from detainees and keeping terrorists off the battlefield in the global war on terror,” Daines stated. “President Obama is trying to fulfill a campaign promise by pushing to close Guantanamo Bay, even though numerous transferred detainees have returned to the battlefield. This bill prevents President Obama from continuing this irrational, dangerous policy which only benefits terrorists who seek to execute atrocities against the American people and our allies.”
Just last month, Daines introduced a resolution to detain ISIL fighters at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba following his tour of the detention facility in Cuba.
The most recent report by the Director of National Intelligence concluded that there has been an increase in the percentage of former Guantanamo detainees suspected or confirmed of reengaging in terrorism.
Daines’ legislation would:
- Make permanent the current prohibition on bringing Guantanamo detainees to the United States;
- Make permanent the current prohibition on construction or modification of facilities in the U.S. to house Guantanamo detainees;
- Suspend all releases from Guantanamo to other countries until September 30, 2017; and
- Prohibit permanently the closure of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo or its transfer to Cuba.
The legislation is available here.
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