[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2790]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           GUANTANAMO DETAINEE TRANSFER IMPACT ASSESSMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 17, 2009

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, recently, the administration announced it 
may move up to 215 Al Qaeda terrorists to Illinois. This proposal 
imposes an unnecessary new risk. We should slow down and answer basic 
questions.
  The facility is only 22 miles from a nuclear reactor. What 
precautions are taken?
  Commissions will be in Illinois--how will we protect the families of 
judges and jurors?
  We learned yesterday that two-thirds of the jobs claimed will be 
active-duty military. The Bureau of Prisons will hire no one over 37 
years old and will hire nationwide, not just Illinois.
  The United States spent more than $50 million to build the state-of-
the-art Guantanamo Bay detention facility to keep terrorists from U.S. 
soil. Al Qaeda terrorists should stay where they cannot endanger 
Americans.
  Today I introduced the Guantanamo Detainee Transfer Impact Assessment 
Act of 2009. My legislation prohibits the transfer of terrorists held 
at Guantanamo Bay to any location in the United States unless the 
President presents to the State's legislature a ``Homeland Insecurity 
Impact Statement'' conducted by the Government Accountability Office, 
in consultation with the Inspectors General of the Department of 
Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Office of the 
Director of National Intelligence, and the legislature then approves 
the transfer by a majority vote.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in ensuring that a thorough 
threat and risk assessment is conducted and shared with the elected 
representatives of the American people before any terrorist from 
Guantanamo Bay is brought to the United States.

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