"As I have said many times, the continued operation of this detention facility [Guantanamo] weakens our national security by draining resources, damaging our relationships with key allies and partners, and emboldening violent extremists. Closing the detention facility is a national imperative," Obama said as quoted by the White House in a Friday press release.
The US President stressed that while Guantanamo remains open for the 13th consecutive year, "costing the American people hundreds of millions of dollars each year and undermining America's standing in the world", Congress continues to pass restrictions, which tie Obama's hands in terms of closing down the facility.
The president's statement came as he signed the national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2015, which prohibits the US Department of Defense from transferring prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay prison.
Obama signed an order for the closure of Guantanamo Bay in 2009, after promising to shut the camp down during his election campaign, describing it as a "sad chapter in American history". The closure has not taken place yet.
The detention facility, located in Cuba, has been the subject of harsh criticism by human rights groups, governments and media since its establishment in 2002. Health workers, inspectors and former detainees have described the conditions at the camp as cruel and inhumane, reporting the use of torture.
