Republicans Ask For Guarantee On Thomson Prison

By aaroncynic in News on Mar 11, 2011 2:30PM

A handful of Illinois Republican legislators sent a letter to President Obama yesterday, once again demanding that the Administration “abandon any and all efforts” to house detainees from Guantanamo Bay at the empty prison in Thomson. The Journal Dispatch reports Mark Kirk, Aaron Schock and 6 others sent the letter, which asks the President for a “firm commitment...so that Congress can focus its efforts on acquiring and operating Thomson as a maximum-security federal prison.”

Even though the Obama Administration has said there aren't any plans to move detainees to Thomson or anywhere else, the letter shows concern that Obama may decide to “move the plan forward at some point in the future.” It then goes on to urge the prison be opened as a state or federal prison, citing the desperate need for jobs in the area.

Meanwhile, one of the signatories, Rep. Bobby Schilling, introduced the Detainee Security Act of 2011 to the House Armed Services Committee. The bill would prevent any funding for construction or modification of facilities in the U.S. to house Guantanamo detainees. In addition, the bill contains a permanent prohibition on the transfer of any individuals detained under the Authorization for Use of Military Force from 2001.