Today the House passed what is effectively a full-year continuing resolution, which mostly continues spending at current levels through the end of September 2011. It also contained a Constitutionally-compliant version of the food safety bill and some other extensions to expiring laws. But like all must-pass bills, it was not devoid of sneaky provisions.
Section 1116, found on pages 12 and 13 of the bill, reads as follows:
SEC. 1116. None of the funds made available in this or any prior Act may be used to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release to or within the United States, its territories, or possessions Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who—
(1) is not a United States citizen or a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; and
(2) is or was held on or after June 24, 2009, at the United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by the Department of Defense.
To their credit, the Obama administration has announced opposition to this position:
"We strongly oppose this provision. Congress should not limit the tools available to the executive branch in bringing terrorists to justice and advancing our national security interests," said Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
(Reuters)
That being said, I doubt it's enough to be worth forcing a government shutdown -- the likely consequence of any veto of this bill.
I'd like to know why the Democratic House is stealthily adding provisions to must-pass bills that diminish from the rule of law in our country. It's long past time to close Guantanamo and restore some amount of the national dignity that we lost during the Bush administration.