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Contact: Cory Fritz
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Boehner Signs Discharge Petition to Force Vote on Keep Terrorists Out of America Act
“The ‘Keep Terrorists Out of America Act’ does exactly what the American people want, and they deserve a vote on this common-sense bill”
Nov 18, 2009
Washington -
Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) today signed a discharge petition filed by Intelligence Committee Ranking Republican Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) to force Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Democratic leaders to give Members – and the American people – a vote on the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act (H.R. 2294), which is aimed at stopping the transfer or release of terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States. Boehner issued the following statement:
“Despite Americans’ strong opposition to importing terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States, the Obama Administration continues to move forward with their dangerous plans to do so anyway. The ‘Keep Terrorists Out of America Act’ does exactly what the American people want, and they deserve a vote on this common-sense bill.
“Despite repeated requests from Republicans in Congress, this Administration has refused to present the American people with its plan for what to do with the terrorists held at Guantanamo and for confronting and defeating the global terrorist threat. Right now, there is no evidence that this Administration has such a plan. The American people deserve better. I urge my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to listen to the American people and sign the discharge petition.”
NOTE: House Republican Ranking Members today demanded answers to questions posed over the past 10 months about the Administration’s ill-advised decision to close Guantanamo Bay. In a letter to President Obama, Republicans outlined the national security concerns posed by the decision and insisted that the Administration provide responses to the American people before any terrorists are imported to the U.S. for detention or prosecution.
In May, House Republicans introduced the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act (H.R. 2294) to (1) affirm Congress’ opposition to transferring or releasing terrorists held at the Guantanamo Bay prison into the United States; (2) prohibits the Administration from transferring or releasing any terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay to any state without express approval from the state’s governor and legislature; and (3) prohibits the President from transferring or releasing a terrorist detainee into the United States unless he provides notification and certification to Congress.
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