The United States Senate has passed a policy bill that would block President Barack Obama from bringing terrorism suspects held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States.
Unknown is whether President Barack Obama — who made closing the detention center a key campaign promise — will veto the bill or sign it despite the Gitmo restrictions.
The bill was passed with vote resulting 91 to 3, which means it has more than enough supporters to override a presidential veto, though Obama’s Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the President would sign the defense bill.
Congressional Republicans are bracing this week for what they fear will be a decision by the President to cite his executive authority and order the prison closed.
“I think that’s likely from everything he’s said,” said Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, who chairs the intelligence committee.
But it was not clear if the President planned to issue such an order or simply release a plan to Congress with recommendations for how to close the controversial base.
The recommendations, which come from the Department of Defense, are expected to list pros and cons of possible places to house detainees within the U.S., including locations in Kansas, South Carolina and Colorado.
