{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://lynnjenkins.house.gov/press-releases/kansas-congressional-delegation-condemns-white-house-refusal-to-rule-out-executive-action-on-gitmo/", "Kansas Congressional Delegation Condemns White House Refusal To Rule Out Executive Action On GITMO", "2015-11-05", "2015", "2015-11", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Lynn Jenkins", "J000290", "lynnjenkins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Kansas Congressional delegation condemned today\u2019s White House refusal to rule out executive action to close Guantanamo Bay and transfer prisoners to the United States. Members of the delegation released the following responses reacting to the White House\u2019s statement:  \u201cPresident Obama\u2019s apparent contempt for the will of the American people is simply beyond belief,\u201d said Congresswoman Jenkins (R-KS). \u201cAny unilateral executive action would be a clear violation of existing law that prohibits transferring prisoners from Guantanamo to America. \u00a0Earlier this year, President Obama indicated he was considering Fort Leavenworth as a location for these prisoners, showing his willingness to totally disregard the impact on military training such a move would have. The President\u2019s attempts for a legacy should not endanger America lives, and I will continue fighting to protect Americans from this disastrous idea.\u201d  \u201cThe president\u2019s threat of using an executive order to free jihadists from Guantanamo Bay shows blatant disregard for the safety of our country and the expressed will of the American people.\u00a0 It is unconscionable,\u201d Congressman Pompeo said. \u00a0\u201cNot only would any executive action to bring the world\u2019s most lethal terrorists at Guantanamo Bay to the United States be a direct violation of federal law, but relocating these terrorists to Fort Leavenworth or anywhere else in America poses tremendous threat to our military. \u00a0Keeping these terrorists at GITMO is crucial to the safety and security of Kansans and all Americans. \u00a0I will continue fighting to do all in my power to see that GITMO detainees stay right where they belong in the U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay.\u201d  \u201cAny executive action attempting to close the facility at Guantanamo Bay is expressly prohibited by federal law in both the 2015 NDAA and funding bill,\u201d said Congressman Yoder (R-KS). \u201cUnfortunately, this Administration does not seem to feel the same constraints of the law as the rest of us do. I will strongly oppose this effort in every way possible.\u201d  Said Congressman Huelskamp (R-KS): \u201cIf President Obama follows through on his threat of using an executive order to close Guantanamo, it would be another outrageous example of how he continues to trample the Constitution and rule of law.\u201d\u00a0  \u201cA critical national security decision deserves critical thought,\u201d Sen. Moran (R-KS) said. \u201cThe closing of Gitmo shouldn\u2019t happen without Congressional approval and certainly shouldn\u2019t be done through an executive order. The current law should be upheld, which prohibits the closure of Guantanamo Bay and the transfer of detainees.\u201d  \u201cThreatening to shut down Guantanamo Bay by executive action shows President Obama\u2019s blatant disregard for the law,\u201d said Sen. Roberts (R-KS). \u201cCongress has consistently stopped Obama by law from moving a single detainee to the U.S., and this would be an egregious overstep by the administration ignoring the will of the American people to accomplish the president\u2019s legacy goals. An act of Congress would be required to move detainees to the mainland, and I currently have a hold on the president\u2019s nominee for the Secretary of the Army \u2013 and I will place holds on any nominee necessary to prevent this unilateral action. I'm confident our current facility at Guantanamo Bay remains the best, and only, answer to house these terrorists. As I have said before \u2013 not on my watch will any terrorist be placed in Kansas or anywhere in the homeland.\u201d  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://lynnjenkins.house.gov/press-releases/kansas-congressional-delegation-condemns-white-house-refusal-to-rule-out-executive-action-on-gitmo/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0010178666561842, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}