Statement by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) on Transferring Gitmo Detainees to the United States

Latest. Success. Provision struck out:

Statement from US Senator Mark Kirk on restoring the current law that bans bringing Gitmo terrorists to the Heartland

"In order to block a the House Defense Authorization bill with the Gitmo terrorist transfer provision included, I threatened to place a hold on the bill in the Senate. Illinois Republicans worked together to protect our national security and strike the provision, restoring the current law that bans bringing Gitmo terrorists to the heartland."

***Update with audio of Don and Roma interview***From his office:

“Instead of providing Congress with a clean Defense Authorization bill that could win overwhelming bipartisan support, Speaker Pelosi buried a provision in the House defense bill that permits bringing Guantanamo terrorists to the United States. Such a provision would weaken the security of our country. Therefore, should the Defense Authorization bill come to the Senate with the Gitmo terrorist transfer provision included, I will place a hold on the bill and would seek to strike the provision, restoring the current law that bans bringing Gitmo terrorists to the homeland.

“We should not put ourselves in a position where a rogue court can order the release of a member of the al Qaeda core. Just this week, a terrorist attack directed by a former Guantanamo detainee and now senior Taliban commander, Mullah Zakir, killed six U.S. soldiers in Kandahar.

“While we could authorize a federal prison in Thomson, Illinois to support economic growth, it should never weaken our nation's security by housing Gitmo terrorists. I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to continue our bipartisan prohibition on transferring Gitmo terrorists to the heartland.”

Background here, here and here.