WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to temporarily prevent the transfer of detainees from the US military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement on Thursday.
"The [Obama] administration should heed the will of the House and cease its planned transfers of more terrorists back to their host countries," Ryan stated.
14 September 2016, 21:58 GMT
The bill, introduced by Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, would prevent US agency funds from being used to transfer any detainees until the National Defense Authorization Act is passed, or until January 1, 2017.
President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the measure.
Closing the detention facility has been an administration priority since Obama took office in 2009. Of the 61 detainees who remain at Guantanamo Bay, 20 have been cleared for transfer.
