News Releases

MANHATTAN, Kan. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, issued the following statement in reaction to the news that President Obama intends to transfer more than a dozen terrorist detainees out of Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) prior to inauguration day. 

“As our nation faces threats of terrorism around the globe from those who wish to do us harm, this reckless decision is an obvious attempt to put fulfilling a campaign promise ahead of safety for the American people. It is also a slap in the face to the incoming administration, which will take on the critical task of combating ‎threats at home and abroad. The last thing we need to do is release more terrorist detainees into a destabilized and uncertain world. 

“Last week, President Obama failed to defend our greatest ally in the Middle East. He has released a large number of terrorist detainees into the same region – many of whom, statistics have shown, will return to terrorism. These actions at the end of this administration’s term are deeply misguided and must be reversed.” 

The confirmed and suspected reengagement rate of GITMO detainees returning to the fight is more than 30 percent and includes those released since 2002.

Background
Sen. Moran has long advocated against relocating Guantanamo Bay detainees. He works to uphold current law by sponsoring multiple amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act and sponsors the following legislation: 

  • The Protections Against Terrorist Transfer Act of 2016 (S. 2780) to strengthen the certification requirements relating to the transfer or release of detainees at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba;
  • The Detainee Transfer Transparency Act (S. 2788) to make available to the public the intended transfer or release of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, at least 21 days in advance;
  • The Detaining Terrorists to Protect America Act (S. 165) to prohibit the transfer to the United States of detainees designated medium- or high-risk for two years and ban transfers to Yemen, where dozens of the remaining Guantanamo detainees are from; and
  • S. 2559 to prevent President Obama from transferring GITMO back to Cuba without congressional approval. 

Additionally, Sen. Moran introduced a Senate Resolution to call for the detention of captured Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters at GITMO.

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