Renewed Debate on Guantánamo Detainees
On November 19, 2013, during floor debate on the 2014 defense authorization bill, senators rejected two amendments relating to the transfer of prisoners from the Guantánamo Bay detention center. The first, introduced by Senator Kelly Ayotte (NH-R), would have prohibited funds in the bill from being used to transfer Guantánamo detainees to the United States and stiffened requirements for transferring prisoners from Guantánamo to other countries. Since 2011, the defense bill has included detainee transfer restrictions, blocking President Obama’s efforts to close the facility. The Ayotte amendment failed by vote of 43 to 55. The Senate also rejected, 52 to…