Guantánamo

White House issues veto threat on Guantánamo bill

Associated Press
The American flag flies over Camp 6, at the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on Feb. 9, 2016, in this photo approved for release by the U.S. military.
The American flag flies over Camp 6, at the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, on Feb. 9, 2016, in this photo approved for release by the U.S. military. WALTER MICHOT wmichot@miamiherald.com
WASHINGTON

Senior advisers to President Barack Obama are recommending the president veto a House bill that would temporarily halt the transfer of any more Guantánamo Bay detainees.

The bill from Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., would bar the federal government from spending money on any Guantánamo prisoner transfers. The ban would last until the end of the calendar year, or until a bill authorizing defense funding is signed into law.

A statement from the White House Office of Management and Budget says Guantánamo weakens national security by draining resources and emboldening violent extremists. The Pentagon is currently holding 61 prisoners are at the detention center, 10 of them charged with crimes. The administration says transfers occur only after a rigorous review.

But supporters of the bill say the transfers could allow some detainees to eventually return to terrorism.

The text of the full statement is here.

This story was originally published September 13, 2016 at 6:41 PM with the headline "White House issues veto threat on Guantánamo bill."

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