WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today continued his fight to stop the Obama Administration from bringing terrorist detainees to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.
Roberts is blocking the nomination of Eric Fanning to be the U.S. Secretary of the Army due to his long held concerns over the president’s plans to re-locate terrorists held at the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) to Ft. Leavenworth.
Attempts to advance the nomination failed today when Senator Roberts objected to a motion by Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) to consider the nomination by unanimous consent. Video of Senator Roberts’ remarks on the Senate floor can be downloaded here. To watch the speech, go here.
“Let me be very clear on this -- as a veteran, a Marine -- I support Mr. Eric Fanning for this post. If the White House calls and assures me that terrorists held at Guantanamo will not come to Ft. Leavenworth, I will release the hold – immediately,” Roberts said.
“As I have publicly stated from the beginning -- to Mr. Fanning, former Army Secretary McHugh, and Defense Secretary Carter, my quarrel is not with the nominee, but with the president.”
Roberts went on to say that the president’s intention to bring GITMO detainees to the mainland is against the law, including the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016.
“I understand the Senator from Arizona’s concerns. But any anger should be directed at a White House that ignores laws written and introduced by the senator from Arizona himself.
“With this hold, I have used one of the tools afforded to me as a U.S. Senator, and I will continue to do everything in my power to fulfill my obligations to protect the national security of the United States. It is what Kansans expect and demand of me.”
Senator Roberts also maintains a hold on Jennifer O’Connor, the president’s nominee to be the General Council of the Department of Defense.
Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, is the home to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks which houses military prisoners. Enemy combatants may not be housed with members of the U.S. military. Fort Leavenworth is also home to the Command and General Staff College, the Intellectual Center of the Army, where all Army officers study. The post is located in the town of Leavenworth, Kansas.
In March, Roberts introduced a Senate resolution formally rejecting President Obama’s plan to transfer prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities to an alternate location in American communities. The resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). The full text of the resolution is available here.
Senator Roberts is the most senior Marine in the Congress. He was Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 2003-2007. He has visited Guantanamo Bay twice.
The following is text of Senator Roberts’ remarks as prepared for delivery:
Mr. President, the senior Senator from Arizona…our distinguished Chairman of the Armed Services Committee…has made an impassioned plea for me to remove my hold on the nomination of Eric Fanning to be the Secretary of the Army.
Let me be very clear– as a veteran, a Marine -- I support the nominee for this post.
Kansas is the proud home to two Army Posts, Ft. Leavenworth, the intellectual center of the Army, and Ft. Riley, home of the Big Red One….two proud posts with rich histories.
I want the Army to have a highly-qualified Secretary just as much as the distinguished Senator from Arizona.
But it is due to my deep respect and concern for our men and women in uniform at Ft. Leavenworth, and those who live and work in the region, that has compelled me to issue my hold on the president’s nominee in the first place.
As I have publicly stated from the beginning – and personally to Mr. Fanning, former-Army Secretary John McHugh, and Defense Secretary Ash Carter, my quarrel is not with the nominee, but with the president.
President Obama continues to insist that he will close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility before he leaves office, transferring the remaining detainees to the U.S. mainland, with Ft. Leavenworth under serious consideration.
This is a “legacy” item for the president.
After much study and review, I can name you countless reasons why this plan is wrong. It’s also illegal. The president’s own cabinet has acknowledged this -- the Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General have publicly stated that current law prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the mainland.
And yet the president is undeterred.
He continues to insist it will be done…even if he has to resort to executive power in defiance of the law and the will of the Congress….so I have been left with very little choice but to do what I can to block the transfer of detainees to Ft. Leavenworth.
Mr. President, I understand the Senator from Arizona’s concerns. But, any anger should be directed at a White House that intends to ignore laws written and introduced by the Senator from Arizona himself.
We should be speaking today not about my attempts to protect the people of my state and Ft. Leavenworth. We should be speaking about a White House that ignores the National Defense Authorization Act and every appropriations bill passed in this chamber since 2009.
We should be angry at a White House that wants to bring this terrorist threat to our shores without so much as an intelligence assessment as to the risks and benefits of such an action to our citizens at home or to our men and women in uniform.
The Administration is responsible for refusing to come forward with a real plan to re-locate the prisoners.
Just days ago, I reviewed the most recent, classified report from the Department of Defense on moving the detainees from GITMO.
This report – far from clearing up any concerns – made it even more apparent to me that it’s virtually impossible to safely relocate terrorists to Ft. Leavenworth. The assessment is there, all I am asking is for the White House to assure me Ft. Leavenworth is NOT a viable alternative.
Cities and towns across America are holding their collective breaths while we await the White House’s judgment about where to house these detainees.
For those of us in the crosshairs, we are left with very few options to fight a president that is willing to break the law.
With this hold, I have used one of the tools afforded to me as a U.S. Senator and I will continue to do everything in my power to fulfill my obligations to protect the national security of the United States.
It is what Kansans expect and demand of me.
If the White House calls and assures me that terrorists held at Guantanamo will not come to Ft. Leavenworth, I will gladly release the hold – immediately.
But make no mistake, I remain adamantly opposed to placing detainees anywhere on the mainland.
However, if the plans and studies from the Administration rule out Ft. Leavenworth as an option, all they have to do is tell me.
In September, Roberts placed a hold on the Fanning nomination. See his original letter below.
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