Obama recommits to closing Guantanamo Bay

WASHINGTON The White House says President Barack Obama has met with two special envoys for closing the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison and recommitted to closing it.

Obama met Monday with State Department envoy Clifford Sloan and Pentagon envoy Paul Lewis. It's the first publicly announced meeting between Obama and the envoys.

Obama vowed to close the prison but has been thwarted by Congress. He announced in May he would appoint envoys and ordered the Pentagon to designate a site in the U.S. where detainee trials could be held.

"The Guantanamo facility continues to drain our resources and harm our standing in the world," White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement.

The White House says the administration will keep transferring detainees who are cleared to go to other countries. Obama wants Congress to remove restrictions on transfers.

There are 164 prisoners at Guantanamo. A formal review process for dozens held without charges is underway.