Dianne Feinstein: “many in this body and people all over the world watched as America, 5/2 years ago, began to arrest, apprehend, and…”

“many in this body and people all over the world watched as America, 5/2 years ago, began to arrest, apprehend, and incarcerate detainees. Some were real terrorists, some were conspirators, and some were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. We watched as Camp X-Ray was built at the naval base at Guantanamo, and we have seen the development of a different and lesser standard of American justice developed for proceedings at that base. Since that time, Guantanamo has been derided as a blight on human rights values and as a stain on American justice worldwide. I believe the time has come to close Guantanamo. An amendment I have filed with Senator Harkin--Senator Harkin is my main cosponsor--and Senator Hagel would do exactly that. It is cosponsored by Senators Dodd, Clinton, Brown, Bingaman, Kennedy, Whitehouse, Obama, Durbin, Byrd, yourself, Mr. President, Senator Salazar, Senators Feingold, Boxer, and Biden. It is my understanding that the Republican side has refused us a time agreement, which means we will not be allowed a vote. The amendment is not germane postcloture. So if the Republican side will not allow us a time agreement, we have, unfortunately, no way of getting a vote on this amendment. The fact is that yesterday's New York Times editorialized that Guantanamo should be closed. That is what many people believe, and yet we cannot fully debate that issue and vote on it here. I think that is truly a shame.”