Scott Applauds House Passage of Guantanamo Transfer Bill

Washington – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) applauded his colleagues in the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 5351 today, which prohibits the transfer of any detainee held at Guantanamo Bay. The bill passed with a bipartisan majority. Scott worked with Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) to introduce the companion bill in the Senate (S. 2999).

“Just yesterday, the President’s Director of National Intelligence acknowledgedmore released Guantanamo detainees have returned to the fight by rejoining Islamic militant groups,” Scott said. “The White House has continued to ignore common sense and what’s best for our national security in order to try and keep a decade old campaign promise. I applaud my colleagues in the House for passing legislation that bars the transfer of any detainee from Guantanamo Bay, and will continue to work with Senator Daines and my colleagues to hold a similar vote in the Senate. The White House might be ok with putting American lives at risk to keep their campaign promise, but I am not and will never be.”

Specifically, H.R. 5351 prohibits any funds being used by a federal agency to transfer any detainee held at Guantanamo Bay to the United States, its territories, or foreign countries.