“The world did not suddenly become safe in January 2009. There are still terrorists around the world who are committed to killing Americans and destroying our way of life. A number of those terrorists are being held at the prison in Guantanamo Bay right now. 

 

“I am troubled that the Administration plans to release known terrorists who trained at terrorist training camps and allow them to live among our friends and neighbors. Guantanamo Bay was never meant to be an Ellis Island but rather, was designed to prevent another devastating attack against the American people. Talking tough on the issue of terrorism doesn’t keep us safer. Making promises about who is dangerous and who is not dangerous doesn’t keep us safer. But doing the right thing does keep us safer, and the right thing to do is to keep Guantanamo Bay open in order to keep terrorists far from our homes and families.”

 

Luetkemeyer is a supporter of H.R.2294, the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act. This bill has a straightforward but vital purpose -- to ensure that the terrorists held in the Guantanamo Bay prison are not imported into the United States. It expresses the sense of Congress that we do not believe terrorists being held at Guantanamo Bay should be transferred or released into the United States. It also makes clear that governors and state legislators must pre-approve the transfer or release of any terrorist detainee into their respective states. Lastly, it requires the President to meet strict criteria and certification standards before any individual detained at the Guantanamo prison could be brought to the United States.

 

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