Speaker Paul Ryan: Lawmakers Will Take Action To Keep Guantanamo Open
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan says Republicans are taking legal steps to stop President Barack Obama from closing the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Ryan told reporters Wednesday that lawmakers have the votes to block Obama's plan in Congress and enough votes to override any veto. Separately, the Wisconsin Republican said the GOP is "taking all legal preparations necessary" to ensure the prison remains open and terror suspects aren't moved to the U.S.
Under Obama's plan, roughly 35 of the 91 current detainees will be transferred to other countries in the coming months, leaving up to 60 detainees who are either facing trial by military commission or have been determined to be too dangerous to release but are not facing charges.
EXTRA: Read The Plan Here
The plan calls for transferring some remaining detainees to the United States and seeks up to $475 million in construction costs that would ultimately be offset by as much as $180 million per year in operating cost savings.
After Obama announced plans to close the facility on Tuesday, GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio openly criticized the plan at a rally in Las Vegas, saying that Guantanamo prisoners don't belong on U.S. soil and that he would ship the prisoners back when he is president.
"These are literally enemy combatants," he said.
Donald Trump, who secured victory in the Nevada Republican caucus, also said he would keep the prison open.
Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said she supported Obama's plan.
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