Congress blocking Gitmo-closing funds in 2010

Regardless of whether Barack Obama thinks he can make his self-imposed deadline for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Congress has no intention of helping him do it.  Republicans and Democrats have combined in both chambers of Congress to deny funding in 2010 for any effort to close Gitmo and transfer its detainees to the US.  Almost 90 Democrats in the House defied their party leadership to support a ban on the funds:

Lawmakers are using their authority to direct federal spending to prevent the Obama administration from closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

In their race to complete a dozen appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began this week, members of both chambers are including policy language aimed at halting the administration’s decision to transfer prisoners from the Cuban facility to prisons in their districts.

The latest example came on Thursday when the House instructed conferees negotiating with the Senate on a final version of the Homeland Security spending bill to include language prohibiting the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to U.S. soil. The bill already includes a provision prohibiting the detainees from air travel within or to the United States.

They’re not being subtle about it, either, or leaving it to chance.  The Hill reports that the House has passed four appropriations bills with language denying funds for the purpose of closing Gitmo.  The Senate seems just as adamant about it, too.  They have already inserted the language into the Defense appropriation, which is still under consideration.

Rep. David Obey called Congress an “unjointed turkey” on the question for failing to come up with its own plan to close Gitmo.  He apparently labors under the delusion that a grand consensus exists to close the one facility built for the express purpose of housing unlawful combatants captured in the war on terror.  Rasmussen’s last polling on this question showed that 55% of likely voters oppose closing Gitmo, while only 32% support the idea.  Three-quarters believe that the process will free dangerous terrorists, with 56% “very concerned” about that prospect.  Only 56% of Democrats support the closure of Gitmo, hardly a mandate, while 62% of independents oppose it.   There isn’t an age or income demographic that supports Obama’s policy.

Can Obama close Gitmo with these funding restrictions?  He’s not likely to stop trying, but Congress is doing all it can to block him.

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