Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill To Require Administration to Release Terrorist Histories of Individuals Released from Guantanamo

Last week I proposed a bill to require the declassification and release to the public of information on past terrorist activities of individuals detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, who have been transferred or released since Election Day, November 8, 2016. 

Even though the American people rightly rejected President Obama’s dangerous plan to completely empty the Guantanamo detention facility, he is still irresponsibly working to release as many terrorists as possible before he leaves office. President Obama’s push to empty GTMO is reckless, and the American people should be made aware of the past terrorist activities committed by the individuals detained there.

On January 22, 2009 President Obama signed the following documents to uphold a promise to close down Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO): 1) Executive Order regarding Guantanamo Bay detainees, 2) Executive Order regarding Detainee Policy, 3) Executive Order regarding Interrogation, and 4) Presidential Memorandum on Review of the Detention of al-Marri.

Congress has raised numerous concerns about the lack of a viable plan from President Obama and his administration to carry out this declaration. To ensure the President does not unilaterally close GTMO, the annual National Defense Authorization Act has included recurring restrictions on detainee transfers to the U.S. and a prohibition on construction of detention facilities in the U.S.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence publishes a semi-annual report regarding detainee recidivism. The most recent report, in July 2016, indicates that 30 percent of all detainees transferred from GTMO have either reengaged in terrorist activities, or are suspected of doing so.

The full text of the bill can be found here.