Rounds Cosponsors Detainee Transfer Transparency Act

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today cosponsored the Detainee Transfer Transparency Act, legislation that would require the Secretary of Defense to make available to the public the intended transfer or release of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, at least 21 days in advance.

“The American people deserve to not only know when dangerous terrorists are being released from Guantanamo Bay, they also need to know what deals are being made with foreign countries to accept these people,” said Rounds. “The risk that these terrorists will return to the battlefield and kill Americans must take priority over the administration’s determination to fulfill a campaign promise. Additionally, the bill prohibits giving our strategically important base at Guantanamo Bay back to Cuba and would bar any terrorist detainees there from being transferred to prisons in the United States.”

The Detainee Transfer Transparency Act would require the public notice from the Secretary of Defense to include: the name of the individual, the location to which the individual will be transferred or released and the current and past risk profile of the individual. If the detainee is being transferred to another location, then the notice must also include a summary of the agreement made with that location and list actions being taken to mitigate risk of another transfer or the release of the detainee.  

The legislation would also prohibit closure of Guantanamo Bay and prohibit the transfer of detainees to the United States.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), is cosponsored by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).