Rep. Calvert Votes to Stop Gitmo Detainee Transfers

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) voted along with a majority (244 to 174) of the House in support of legislation, H.R. 5351, that would block the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay. Rep. Calvert is a cosponsor of H.R. 5351.



"There is no reason to compromise the safety of American families, our troops, and our allies by unnecessarily transferring Gitmo detainees," said Rep. Calvert. "President Obama has created a false narrative that Gitmo somehow motivates the Islamic jihadists who have attacked Americans. The fact remains that Islamic jihadists were motivated to kill Americans long before a single detainee was held in Gitmo. I've witnessed first-hand how detainees are treated at Gitmo and there is simply no comparison with the treatment Americans and other captives receive from Islamic jihadists. The individuals being held at Gitmo are enemy combatants and their release would absolutely be a risk to our troops around the world and Americans here at home."



H.R. 5351 would halt the transfer of any Guantanamo Bay detainees until enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017, or until the end of this year. The House-passed NDAA included a provision requiring written agreements between the U.S. and the government of any foreign country that agrees to accept detainees. It also would require the next administration to provide Congress with a comprehensive detention plan outlining how the release of any Gitmo detainee fits into the broader strategy for handling individuals detained during wartime.