After a visit to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GITMO) Friday, U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) showed his commitment to ensuring facilities at the naval base remain open as an original cosponsor of new Senate legislation.
S. 1046, introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), deals with the facilities that house the world's most dangerous terrorists. On Friday, Inhofe led a Congressional Delegation trip to GITMO that included Boozman and several members of the House of Representatives.
"Detainee facilities at Guantanamo Bay play a critical role in ridding the world of terrorism. The detainees held here are some of the most vile terrorists, who are committed to killing Americans, and releasing these men into society cannot be an option. The administration's actions to close this facility threaten the safety of our nation and its citizens and we must keep this facility open as we continue fighting terrorism. We appreciate the efforts of our troops all around the world who are on this mission and to those serving at Guantanamo Bay guarding these dangerous terrorists," Boozman said.
"GITMO meets the highest international standards. It is a state of the art facility that provides humane treatment for all detainees, is fully compliant with the Geneva Convention, and provides treatment and oversight that exceed any maximum-security prison in the world -- as attested to by human rights organizations, the Red Cross, Attorney General Holder, and an independent commission led Admiral Walsh. There is no other place like it, and no other place can offer what GITMO offers in terms of security, treatment, and legal prosecution. It is an asset that this administration is not taking full advantage of, and that is the reason for this new legislation," Inhofe said.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT