Jeff Bingaman: “when it is appropriate, I would like to offer an amendment to the Defense authorization bill, and I have provided that…”

“when it is appropriate, I would like to offer an amendment to the Defense authorization bill, and I have provided that amendment to the chairman of the committee and to the ranking member. I would like, obviously, to get a vote on that at whatever time is convenient to them and the orderly processing of that legislation. I am told that right now is not the right time, and that I should go ahead and speak as in morning business and explain the amendment, which I am glad to do. This is amendment No. 4317. It has been filed. It is at the desk. I would just explain to people this is an amendment that would propose to expedite the processing of individuals who are being held in Guantanamo. Let me take a brief moment and describe more specifically what the amendment does. With respect to individuals currently held at Guantanamo, the amendment would require that the Government charge, repatriate, or release those prisoners within 180 days of the enactment of this legislation; that is, the completion of the signing by the President of the Defense authorization bill. However, if for any reason the Government has not charged or repatriated or released the individuals within that timeframe provided in the amendment, then the Department of Defense would be required to provide a report regarding why they have not done so to the appropriate committees of the Congress, and this report could be submitted in classified form, if necessary, or in unclassified form.…”