Kansas lawmakers are pushing back against allowing Fort Leavenworth to be used as the new facility to keep detainees from Guantanamo Bay.
The military's only domestic maximum-security prison is one of several locations being considered by the Defense Department to transfer the detainees, if the Obama administration's plan to close the prison in Guantanamo Bay is successful,
Roll Call is reporting.
However,
Kansas Republican Sen. Pat Roberts said in a statement that he will hold up the nomination for the next secretary of the Army, like he did in 2009, if the Obama administration begins to make plans to bring the Gitmo detainees to Fort Leavenworth.
"I shut down this administration's nominee for secretary of the Army in 2009 to prevent moving any detainees to Kansas and will do it again if necessary," Roberts said.
"Not on my watch will any terrorist be placed in Kansas," he added.
The senator wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Friday saying that "Fort Leavenworth is neither the ideal nor right location for moving Guantanamo detainees."
"The installation lies right on the Missouri River, providing terrorists with the possibility of covert travel underwater and attempting access to the detention facility," he explained, adding that it also sits next to a public railroad.
"Because of these impediments, I expect your staff will find Fort Leavenworth unfeasible for housing Guantanamo terrorists," Roberts said.
Kansas Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins, who represents the district where Leavenworth is located, called the news a "reckless proposal."
Another location being considered is the Naval Consolidated Brig in Charleston, South Carolina. Other locations under consideration have not been revealed.
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