[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 68 (Tuesday, May 5, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H5135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         FORT LEAVENWORTH, A POOR FIT FOR GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, in January, shortly after taking 
office, President Obama ordered the closure of the detention facility 
at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base within the year. Up to 250 detainees who 
are suspects from the war on terrorism will be processed and moved, 
possibly to facilities located inside the United States. The U.S. 
disciplinary barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is apparently one of 
the facilities under consideration to house these prisoners.
  I have visited Fort Leavenworth, the city of Leavenworth, and 
surrounding communities. I have talked to city officials, local 
businesses, and State legislators. I have spoken to U.S. military 
officers and foreign military students attending the Army's Command and 
General Staff College located at the fort.
  Simply stated, Fort Leavenworth is a poor fit for placing Guantanamo 
detainees. Fort Leavenworth is known as the ``Intellectual Center of 
the Army,'' where the leaders of our military and foreign militaries 
are educated. However, should these politically sensitive detainees be 
located at the fort, many countries will likely discontinue sending 
military students to America to be trained. This action would disrupt 
Fort Leavenworth's primary mission of military education. It would 
greatly impair a successful international military student program that 
has spread good will around the world for 100 years.
  Additionally, our country should not make Fort Leavenworth's soldiers 
and their families and northeast Kansas unfairly bear this 
responsibility at the cost of their safety and economic well-being. The 
3,000 residents who live on post as well as the residents of nearby 
communities would be living at a higher security risk. Since the fort 
has no major medical facilities, dangerous detainees would need to be 
transported to a local hospital or V.A. for medical attention. Local 
public safety officials are not capable of handling a terrorist 
incident or protests that may occur and would require greater 
resources. The need to increase security at the fort would likely close 
off citizen access to Sherman Airfield, the only public airport in 
Leavenworth, as well as stop rail and river barge traffic that runs to 
the post. These actions would have significant economic consequences.
  Finally, the fort's disciplinary barracks lack the capability to 
house terrorist suspects. It is largely a medium-security facility for 
military prisoners. It would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to 
upgrade the disciplinary barracks to maximum security level and to 
construct the hospital, residential, and support facilities that would 
be required to house the additional prisoners and security personnel. 
As a small post surrounded by a civilian population, there is no room 
to grow.
  Fort Leavenworth is clearly an unsuitable location. I am a sponsor of 
legislation introduced by my colleague of Kansas, Ms. Jenkins, to 
prevent Guantanamo detainees from being relocated there.

                              {time}  1615

  The decision to close Guantanamo Bay detention facility and relocate 
terror suspects should not be made recklessly. I'm troubled that the 
administration is seeking to move forward on Guantanamo despite the 
absence of a closure and relocation plan and despite the lack of 
congressional review. In their recently submitted FY 09 war 
supplemental request to Congress, they ask us for $80 million to close 
the Guantanamo detention facility to relocate prisoners, support 
personnel and services.
  I join the gentleman from California, Representative Hunter, in 
asking the Appropriations Committee not to include this funding in the 
supplemental until we see a plan. Still lacking these details this 
week, I'm pleased to see that our appropriations chairman, Mr. Obey, 
announced his refusal to provide the funding.
  This critical national security decision deserves critical thought. 
Detainees should not be moved where they do not belong. And detainees 
do not belong at Fort Leavenworth.

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