House moves to stop Guantanamo funding, blocks GOP amendment

October 1st, 2009 House votes against bringing Gitmo detainees to USWASHINGTON — The House went on record Thursday against allowing detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba to be transferred to the United States, even to face trial or to be jailed in maximum-security prisons. The 258-163 vote on a nonbinding recommendation put Democrats controlling the House in a difficult spot and prompted senior lawmakers to postpone unveiling a House-Senate agreement on a homeland security funding bill.

September 30th, 2009 Congress adds on to stopgap funding billCongress on Wednesday sent President Barack Obama a one-month stopgap spending bill to keep the government from shutting down with the start of the new fiscal year on Thursday. The legislation: — Funds the government at current levels through Oct 31, with exceptions permitted for the census and veterans medical services.

July 31st, 2009 Abortion measure passes, then fails, in HouseWASHINGTON — An anti-abortion amendment to a sweeping health overhaul bill was voted down in a House committee late Thursday — a dramatic reversal just hours after the measure initially was approved. The amendment said health care legislation moving through Congress may not impose requirements for coverage of abortion, except in limited cases.

July 15th, 2009 Levin says vote postponed on F-22 jet fundingWASHINGTON — A key Senate vote that would eliminate $1.75 billion added to the defense spending bill for more fighter jets from Lockheed Martin has been postponed again. Sen. Carl Levin on Wednesday withdrew the F-22 amendment so the Senate can first address a controversial hate crimes bill.

June 25th, 2009 House passes $44B Homeland Security spending billWASHINGTON — The House passed a $44 billion spending bill Wednesday that awards the Homeland Security Department a 7 percent budget increase, with money for more border patrol agents and for anti-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia. As part of a GOP campaign against President Barack Obama's order to close the U.S.

June 19th, 2009 House puts new restrictions on Gitmo closingWASHINGTON — The House on Thursday used the first spending bill for 2010 to notify the White House that it will not go along with President Barack Obama's plan to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The House voted 259-157 for the $64.4 billion package to fund many of Obama's law enforcement and science priorities in the budget year starting in October.

June 18th, 2009 House set to put new restrictions on Gitmo closingWASHINGTON — The House, while narrowly rejecting a tougher Republican proposal, was moving ahead Thursday with legislation that once again makes the point that it will not go along with President Barack Obama's plans to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The provision in a 2010 spending bill also puts restrictions and reporting requirements on the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the United States and elsewhere.

June 15th, 2009 Italy open to taking 3 Guantanamo detaineesWASHINGTON — Italy says it is open to taking at least three detainees from Guantanamo. An aide to Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Monday the topic will likely come up during the Italian leader's meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House later in the day.

June 12th, 2009 House panel bar benefits for Gitmo detaineesWASHINGTON — Republicans on a key House panel won a vote Friday to make doubly sure that Guantanamo Bay detainees won't be given immigration benefits that would allow them to stay in the United States if they're released. The 34-24 vote was the latest step in which lawmakers have gone on record against allowing detainees at the detention center in Cuba into the United States other than for the purpose of going on trial.

June 12th, 2009 House panel would deny benefits to detaineesWASHINGTON — A key House panel has voted to deny immigration benefits to Guantanamo Bay detainees who might be released into the U.S. after being brought in for trial.

May 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama and former vice president Dick Cheney Thursday duelled over Obama's move to close down the controversial Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba, an issue that has drawn bipartisan criticism. While Obama claimed the prison has made the US less safe and set back the country's 'moral authority', Cheney said the decision to close it down was taken 'with little deliberation and no plan'.

May 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama and former vice president Dick Cheney Thursday duelled over Obama's move to close down the Guantanamo Bay military prison with one defending and the other slamming the decision. While Obama claimed the prison has made the US less safe and set back the country's 'moral authority', Cheney said the decision to close it down was taken 'with little deliberation and no plan'.

May 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to block President Barack Obama's funding request to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and prohibited the transfer of any detainees to American soil. The 90-6 vote was a setback to Obama's plans to close the facility by January 2010 and relocate the 240 detainees currently at the camp, the US Navy base in Cuba.

May 6th, 2009 France says it will take Algerian from GuantanamoPARIS — France says it will take in an Algerian who has been held prisoner by the United States at Guantanamo Bay for the past seven years. Lakhdar Boumediene was arrested along with five other Algerians in 2001 in Bosnia, suspected in a bomb attack plot against the U.S.

April 22nd, 2009 Senator McConnell blasts plan to close GuantanamoSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — President Barack Obama came under fire Tuesday for including $80 million to close Guantanamo in a massive funding request to fight America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The $83.4 billion request to Congress was submitted on April 9, when lawmakers were on break over the Easter holidays.