On the recordJune 19, 2014
I would like to thank my colleague for yielding. I rise today in support of the gentleman from Arkansas, Tom Cotton's amendment, which would prohibit any funds from being used to transfer or release any of the prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. We are a Nation of laws, and we need to make sure we follow those laws. I support this amendment for a litany of reasons, chief among them is that it sends a clear message to the President that he cannot circumvent Congress and that he, the President, cannot override the law of the land. He should have notified Congress 30 days prior to releasing the five prisoners in exchange for Sergeant Bergdahl. The implications of this release will have a far-reaching impact on the national security of the United States. Just recently, as the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Cotton) pointed out, Spanish authorities arrested a former Guantanamo Bay detainee on suspicions of running a terrorist recruitment network. The Director of National Intelligence has said that, by January of 2014, about 29 percent of the 614 detainees released from the prison at Guantanamo Bay had returned to violence. Our brave men and women in uniform have fought too hard and have sacrificed too much to have the President release these detainees who will likely return straight to the battlefield. We understand this, and our constituents understand this. I support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support this strongly, too.
