House rejects bid to allow Gitmo transfer

The House early Friday rejected a proposal from Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) to allow the transfer of Guantánamo Bay detainees to the U.S.

Defeated in a 169-230 vote, Moran’s amendment would strike provisions from the 2015 Commerce-Justice-science appropriations bill prohibiting the transfer of Guantánamo Bay detainees or the use of funds to allow any facility in the U.S. to house the detainees. 

{mosads}Moran, who offered a similar amendment to the 2015 military construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, said it would lead to closing the controversial detention facility.

“The political and legal expediency of the Guantanamo Bay detention center at is not worth the cost to America’s reputation around the world,” Moran said.

But Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), the chairman of the House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee, said bringing the detainees into the U.S. would threaten national security.

“Striking these provisions would have unknown consequences for U.S. communities,” Wolf said. “Putting detainees in U.S. prisons, as the administration originally proposed, would be disruptive and potentially disastrous.”

Moran’s amendment marks the third time in recent weeks that the Guantánamo Bay prison has sparked debate on the House floor. Last week, the House rejected an amendment to the 2015 defense authorization that would close the facility by 2016.