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Washington, D.C., Mar 2, 2009 - Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04), Congressman Frank R. Wolf (VA-10), and Congressman Eric Cantor (VA-07) announced today that they have introduced a bill, H.R. 1186, to prohibit prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility from being transferred to federal prisons or military bases in Virginia.

President Barack Obama recently issued an executive order to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba. Decisions must now be made over how and where to house the 250 suspected terrorists and enemy combatants held there.

“Our primary responsibility is to protect and defend the United States of America. Many of the terrorists at Guantanamo still have connections with terrorist organizations, raising significant security questions about moving these suspects to facilities within Virginia, especially as many of the facilities are within miles of neighborhoods, military bases, and schools,” said Rep. Forbes. “This bill is an important step in prohibiting the transfer of those detainees to the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

“I do not – and would not – support allowing any prisoners presently being detained at Guantanamo Bay being transferred to any facilities in Virginia,” said Rep. Wolf.  “That is a non-starter and isn’t open to discussion.”

“Relocating terrorists in close proximity to American citizens is a needless security risk and raises far more questions than it answers,” said Rep. Cantor. “I thank Congressman Forbes for introducing this important legislation to prevent any funds from being dedicated to relocating known terrorists to Virginia.  The move would be counterproductive to our duties in Congress to protect and defend American citizens; it is the wrong track for the Commonwealth and the nation.”

The House Armed Services Committee has listed several American communities as the potential relocation point for terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, including two in Virginia – the Naval Station Brig, Norfolk and the Marine Corps Base, Quantico.

H.R. 1186, introduced by Congressman Forbes and co-sponsored by Congressman Wolf and Congressman Cantor, would prevent the use of funds to transfer those individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to facilities in Virginia or to house such individuals at such facilities.