[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 104 (Monday, July 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 13, 2009

  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution of 
inquiry directing the attorney general to transmit to the House 
information in his possession relating to the attempted transfer of 
detainees held at Guantanamo Bay into the United States.
  Congress has a well-established and essential obligation to provide 
robust oversight of executive branch agencies. When agency officials 
obstruct congressional efforts to conduct this oversight, the 
resolution of inquiry provides members of the House a tool to compel 
consideration of this request for information.
  I have respectfully asked Attorney General Holder on three 
occasions--March 13, April 23, and May 13--for specific information 
about his intentions with regard to the transfer of detainees to the 
U.S. and how he would protect communities surrounding detainees held in 
the U.S. I do not believe that these were unreasonable requests.
  As ranking member of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations 
subcommittee--which funds the Department of Justice--this information 
is particularly relevant given the subcommittee's jurisdiction over the 
department's spending.
  However, when it came to my attention that Mr. Holder attempted to 
orchestrate a secret transfer of Uyghur detainees to northern Virginia 
for release earlier this spring, it became clear that he had no 
intention of informing Congress of his intentions.
  According to Newsweek magazine, ``As part of their efforts to shut 
down the Guantanamo Bay detention center, Obama Administration 
officials were poised in late April to make a bold, stealthy move: they 
instructed the U.S. Marshals Service to prepare an aircraft and a 
Special Ops group to fly two Chinese Uighurs, and up to five more on 
subsequent flights, from Gitmo to northern Virginia for resettlement. 
In a conference call overseen by the National Security Council, Justice 
and Pentagon officials had been warned that any public statements about 
Gitmo transfers would inflame congressional Republicans, according to a 
law-enforcement official who asked not to be named discussing internal 
deliberations.''
  The article reported that efforts to transfer and release these 
detainees in the U.S. were scrapped when members of Congress became 
aware of the operation.
  Once it became clear that the Justice Department's intended modus 
operandi were clandestine transfers, I began speaking out publicly on 
the House floor about my serious. I also offered an amendment to the 
fiscal year 2009 supplemental appropriations to prohibit the transfer 
of any detainees into the U.S. during the current fiscal year--allowing 
Congress the time needed to get additional information from Mr. Holder 
about his intentions.
  Still I continued to wait for answers to very basic questions from my 
three letters.
  After waiting 118 days for a response, I received only a cursory 
letter from the Justice Department's Office of Legislative Affairs last 
Thursday that failed to answer a single question. Worse, the 
information included was nothing more than summary and rehash of old 
DOJ press releases.
  I can come to no other conclusion than the attorney general intends 
to continue to stonewall the American people. This is unacceptable.
  During his May 21 speech at the National Archives, President Obama 
stated, ``I ran for President promising transparency, and I meant what 
I said. That is why, whenever possible, we will make information 
available to the American people so that they can make informed 
judgments and hold us accountable. . . In this system of checks and 
balances, someone must always watch over the watchers.''
  The attorney general's failure to respond to legitimate congressional 
inquiries is a disservice to this president and the American people.
  This resolution would hold the attorney general to the president's 
public commitment to transparency and accountability.
  I urge my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to move quickly to 
consider this resolution and direct the attorney general to furnish 
this important information.
  Madam Speaker, I also submit a copy of my resolution.

                               H. Res.--

       Resolved, That the Attorney General is directed to transmit 
     to the House of Representatives, not later than 14 days after 
     the date of the adoption of this resolution, copies of any 
     document, memo, or correspondance of the Department of 
     Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations and 
     United States Marshal Service, or any portion of any such 
     document, memo, or correspondance, that refers or relates 
     to--
       (1) any guidance, recommendations, or logistical 
     preparations made since January 20, 2009, for the transfer or 
     release of the detainees held at Naval Station, Guantanamo 
     Bay, Cuba, into the United States;
       (2) the identities of any detainees that have been cleared 
     for release into the United States and as any information 
     about the capture, detention, and threat assessment of such 
     detainees;
       (3) the countries that have been contacted by Government 
     officials to request their acceptance of detainees currently 
     held at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and
       (4) the legal guidance regarding the transfer, detention or 
     release of detainees held at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, 
     Cuba, into the United States.

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