the guantanamo detainees include committers of some of the most horrific acts against the u.s., including 9/11 and the cole bombings in africa. director muller of the f.b.i. deafed that bringing the detainees to the u.s. involved serious risk to american security. the administration is ignoring or disregarding these risks and stone walling the congress. we need to stop the administration from bringing more detainees into our country. in addition, my motion would restore language included in senate section 315 requiring a detailed threat assessment of the risk to the american people resulting from the transfer or release of each of these individuals. that language passed the senate by a vote of 92-3. this motion is that the house receive language prohibiting the movement of detainees to the united states in requiring comprehensive threat assessments. all this language passed overwhelmingly in the senate. mr. chairman, i urge adoption of my motion as i express my appreciation for the work of the senate. >> i thank the gentleman, mr. murtha. >> i appreciate what the gentleman is saying. we h

donald rumsfeld authorization of aggressive interrogation techniques for use of guantanamo bay was a direct cause of detainee abuse, and of quote. one other example. susan crawford, the top bush administration official dealing with military commissions at guantanamo. she was general counsel of army during the reagan administration and pentagon inspector general when richard cheney of was the defense secretary. she is a lifelong republican. susan crawford reached the same conclusion, reached the conclusion mohammed al-kahtani, the so-called 20 hijacker couldn't be prosecuted for his role in the 9/11 attacks because he was tortured at guantanamo bay. here is what susan crawford said. madam president, can i ask for order in the chamber? >> the senate will be in order. >> here is what susan crawford said. quote, we tortured al-kahtani. if we tolerate this and allow wait how can we object when hours servicemen and women or others in the foreign service are captured and subjected to the same techniques? how can we complain where is our moral authority to complete? well, we may have lost it, and of quote from susan

other issues that we will discuss further today and the disposition of these issues such as guantanamo detainees, detainee photographs and funding if for the international monetary fund have all been difficult for the conference. i think the two distinguished chairman or their good faith efforts to reconcile the positions of the two bodies on these and other issues. [no audio] >> i would like to comment on a portion of the bill that senator cochran referred to. we introduced a bill, the thought and goal of which was pretty simple and that was to encourage people to purchase more efficient automobiles with a voucher and that became known as cash for clunkers. this is something we have worked on for a long time. some of us that did the cafe bill in the senate thanks to senator inouey. we were able to achieve a ten mile over 10-year improvement of fuel efficiency in automobiles. it was a big victory because we began in this 1993 and hasn't been able to achieve any improvement in the cafe standard. the cash for clunkers bill, and mu

the president appears to be racing to move these detainees to their new homes before congress can act substantively on the issue of closing guantanamo. during last week's conference meeting, mr. young, ms. granger and i offered several amendments. the first offered by ms. granger sought approval of the senate provision prohibiting the release of detainee photos. the second motion offered by mr. young insisted upon the higher house funding level for d.o.d. and milcon spending in this conference agreement. and the third motion, which i offered, insisted upon agreeing to section 202a and section 315 of the senate bill prohibiting the transferor release of guantanamo detainees. all three amendments were defeated in a party-line vote by the house conferees. as i prepare to close, let me make one additional point. much has been made about the total cost of this emergency supplemental. i note for the record that the final conference agreement is $106 billion, which is $14 billion more than the president's request, $9 billion more than the house-passed bill and $15 billion more than the senate-passed level. again, we have increased funding

they also have watered down language for detainee's at guantanamo bay. this is an issue that is, and will continue to be, of great concern to many of us as well as the american people. just last week, the president approved having a guantanamo detainee transferred to new york city, it ordered the release and transfer of four uighers to bermuda. the president appears to be releasing detainee's to their new homes before congress can act substantially. mr. young, mr. granger, and i offered several amendments. the first offer by mr. granger prohibited the release of detainee photos. the second a motion offered by mr. young had funding for dod and milcon spending. the third motion of the senate bill prohibited the transfer or release of guantanamo detainees. all three amendments were defeated in a party-line vote by the house conferees. as i prepared to cope -- to close, let me make an additional point. much has been made of the total cost of this emergency supplemental. i know for the record that the conference agreement is $106 billion, which is $14 billion

some have stated that detainees would be sent directly from guantanamo bay to a u.s. super max facility and public should not be concerned. yet if detainees are transferred for trial in civilian court, they would have to be held in a facility near that court, near that venue. often these are local jails similar to the alexandria jail that held the 20th terrorist. such a move could mean that kalid sheik muhammad could be held in alexandria for the duration of his trial. similar trials in the past have taken more than four years. regardless of where these detainees are held, i believe that should be in a location that ensures the safety of both those guarding the detainees and american citizens. my primary concern is their presence in a large civilian population could invite additional attacks and danger to the citizens. i take the oversight responsibility of congress very seriously and the fact that the justice department would take these actions without notifying members of congress is incredible. these detainees could pose serious threats to local communities and plac

earlier this week, the president approved having a guantanamo detainee transfered to new york city. it's my understanding that that individual is in a facility around manhattanning and there are serious questions about the security of the facility. it's an inkling of the difficulties we have. i don't know how the courts will handle that case in new york. courts and the justice department have been known to do strange things from time to time. just this morning, the president ordered the release and transfer to have four uighurs to bermuda. bermuda is still part of the british empire. it would appear, i understand that that took place without discussion with the chinese and the chinese are a bit upset about this. it could lead to a trades problem between those two countries because of the circumstance. the president appears to be racing to move these detainees before congress should enact anything into law, including this bill, but indeed, the uighur problem is a reflection of the guantanamo commitment. before we can conclude today's conference, my house minority colleagues and i wou

defense donald rumsfeld's authorization of aggressive interrogation techniques at guantanamo bay was a direct cause of detainee abuse there. end of quote. they also concluded there was a connection between abu ghraib and guantanamo in saying the abuse of detainees at abu ghraib was not the result of a few soldiers acting on their own. acts such as stripping detainees of their clothes and using military working dogs to intimidate them appeared in iraq only after they had been approved for use in afghanistan and at gitmo. susan crawford, a top bush administration official reached the same basic conclusion. let me conclude by saying this: president bush called for the closure of guantanamo. there were little or no -- few if no complaints from the republican side. now that president obama has made that same call, we hear this chorus of opposition. i think president obama has accepted a challenge. the challenge to make certain that these detainees are treated in a responsible way, that those who should stand trial will stand trial for their crimes and war crimes. that those who cannot be brought to section 3 courts

they've used watered-down language for the detainees at guantanamo bay.this is an issue that will continue to be of great concern to many of us as well as the american people. just last week, the president approved of having the guantanamo detainees transferred to new york city. the president appears to be racing to live -- to move these detainees to their new homes. during last week's conference hearing, i offered several amendments along with my colleagues. the first sought approval prohibiting the release detainees photos. the second insisted upon the funding level for dod spending. the third i offered to help with the prohibit -- prohibition of releasing the detainees. much has been made up the total cost of this emergency supplemental. the final conference agreement is $106 billion, which is $14 billion more than the president's request, $9 billion and the house bill and $50 billion more than the senate passed level. we have increased funding for everything in this bill except for the troops. arguments about maintaining some level of fiscal responsib

to close down, mo -- we are leading the work set up by the president to close down guantanamo and transfer of detainees. congress has expressed strong views on the subject in its supplemental appropriations bill. we will continue to work with the legislative branch to ensure the appropriate disposition of individuals currently detained at guantanamo naval base occurs. the department has begun to deploy a multipronged approach to confront the threat posed by the mexican cartels and ensure the security of our southwest border. addressing the southwest border threat has two basic elements, policing the actual border to interdict and deter the crossing of contraband goods and confronting the large criminal organizations operating on both sides of the border. our strategy involves using federal prosecutor-led task force is that bring together federal, state, and local law- enforcement agencies to identify, disrupt, and dismantle mexican drug cartels for investigation, prosecution, and extradition of the key leaders and facilitators and seizure and forfeiture of their assets. the department is also fully com

the guantanamo detainees include the perpetrators of some of the most horrific terrorist acts against americans, including 9/11, the u.s.s. cole bombing and the embassy bombings in africa. director muller of the f.b.i. testified to congress three weeks ago that bringing detainees to u.s. soil poses risk to national security. including providing financing, radicalizing others and undertaking a tax in the united states. additionally the department of defense has reported that at least 14% of former guantanamo detainees have returned to terrorist activity in the region, to say the least we ought to be concerned about the release of people of that kind who threaten our interest anywhere in the world. this administration is ignoring or disregarding those risks and stonewalling the congress. we need to stop this administration from rushing to transfer or resettlelement of any more detainees at the expense of increased risk to americans and help the president simply fulfill his campaign promise. the president has been very busy since his inaugural. there's little question he's been down many

do you agree that as a person in charge of it this guantanamo task force you bear responsibility for the release of transfer of detainees from guantanamo bay? >> yeah. i think i bear responsibility along with my other -- of the other cabinet members that makes up the principals committee but i think irme' primarily responsible, yes. >> they are looking at you to coordinate, at least, and file the consensus, set the agenda. the administration has released transfers from controversial figures already without any form of military commission or criminal trial. for example, on friday, the administration transferred zuhair to saudi arabia. he's allegedly responsible for the murder of william jefferson, a u.s. citizen and diplomat in 1995 planning a -- planting a car bomb in bosnia in 1997, and the involvement with the attack on the u.s.s. cole. do you a-- did you approve the release of zuhair to saudi arabia? >> i did as did the former administration. he was approved for release by the bush administration. the determination that we made was there was not sufficient proof to bring a case against him. and he was transferred, no

these guantanamo detainees are trained to foment dissent among americans and we should do everything possible to keep them away from our local military bases and our prisons. again i urge my colleagues to vote no on this rule and the conference report so we can quickly make these necessary changes to protect our troops in the field and bring back a clean troop funding bill. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from new york. mr. arcuri: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield three minutes to the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan is recognized for three minutes. mr. levin: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. levin: i want to talk about a clearly necessary provision in this bill. the fleet modernization provision. but i do want to say just two mings briefly. comment on what has been said here by the minority. i really think that they are looking for reasons to vote no, no matter how

on news makers today, president obama's decision on guantanamo detainees. . . ♪

ground in different regions of the world indicate to me that guantanamo has hurt our effort to bring people to our side and starting over with detainee policy would be a good idea. do you share that view? >> i do. i have within -- i've looked at in spoken with officials over the impact guantanamo has at as a recruiting tool. it has alienated us from nation to should be our allies. the decision to close guantanamo is the correct one. >> secretary clinton makes the view that it would be good if we had a start over regarding the detaining policy? >> yes. >> detainee policy becomes very important. it can hurt or help the war effort. the way you treat people in their capture does matter. the german and japanese captors housed in the u.s. were well taken care of and made it easier for us to win over the german and japanese people over time. i see a chance to start over here. but the problem the american people have and members of the committee on both sides of the aisle is that we need a plan. let's talk about how we view the guantanamo population. there are three buckets -- those that can be repatriated, that is one pathway, correct? >> t

to acknowledge the important language in the bill regarding the release and transfer from guantanamo detainees this bill does not prevent the closure of guantanamo, it seeks odge to ensure that the process of carrying out the executived orer that national security, the security of our communities and the security of our men and women in uniform overseas are the highest priority. it prohibits the release of detainees into the united states. it also prohibits transfer to the u.s. for prosecution as well as transfers or release to other countries unless and until the administration represents a comprehensive report to the congress on the proposed disposition of each individual. this report will detail security risks and measures to mitigate those risks and will include a certification that state governments have been notified in advance. regarding transfers to other country the report must address the risk of recidivism. some are going to saudi arabia and yemen and saudi arabia has funded many of these radical ma drasass on the pakistan -- madrasas on the pakistan-afghan border, so this asks for

indicated that some detainees may add -- may have to be held for prolonged detention because they cannot be tried for their crimes. are we really meeting the goals behind closed in guantanamo and simply bring detainees for what could be indefinite detention? >> what we try to do is make individualized determinations of what should happen to prisoners at guantanamo. some will be tried in federal courts are military commissions. some can be transferred or released. some will be in the third category were there will be detained in a way that is consistent with due process. the determination is not whether they should be detained, but also periodic reviews. they continue to pose a danger to the united states. the president indicated that people could be placed in that category but it would only happen pursuant to pretty robust to due process procedures. >> there are some who might be retained indefinitely? without due process? >> with due process consistent with the laws of war. due process would be afforded with regard to making the decision. it would be placed into that attention mode. a periodic review would be done. we would want to work with members of the committee and c

france's willingness to accept a guantanamo detainee, but more broadly to help us as we want to deal so in a way consistent with our values and ideals. the assistance that all nato allies as well as others are providing in helping to bring about a more peaceful and democratic afghanistan. on all of these issues, president sarkozy has not just

close collaboration on a whole host of issues with russia, france's willingness to accept a guantanamo detaineet more broadly to help us as we want to deal with the terror threat but do so in a way that is consistent with our values and our ideals, the assistance that all nato allies, as well as others are providing in helping to bring about a more peaceful and democratic afghanistan, on all of these issues president sarkozy has not just cooperated, he's led. e's led. and that kind of approach i think is serving the interests of france but it's also serving their interest and we're very grateful for that. obviously i also want to make mention of the extraordinary tragedy of the air france plane that we believe may have gone down. we don't know yet what exactly happened, but it is heartbreaking, obviously, for the families. the american people offer our thoughts and prayers. we've already authorized all of our resources to coordinate with the french in trying to discover where the plane went down and to find as much information as possible. but our deepest condolences to the people of france, mo

at guantanamo all allegations of detainee abuse are investigated and the military has not hesitated to prosecute or discipline guards who violate those standards, regardless of provocation. navy rear admiral mark busby, commander of the joint task force at guantanamo said in 2007 the facilities practices have been in keeping with d.o.d. policies. -- quote -- "we tend to get wrapped up in the greater discussion of detainees down here with those detained elsewhere. there have been many, many investigations conducted of the conditions at guantanamo and they found no deviations from standing d.o.d. policies." no deviations from standing d.o.d. policies. end of quote. then there's the idea that's been floated by the president, senator durbin and others that keeping guantanamo bay open serves as a recruitment tool for al qaeda. by this logic our fight against the taliban or our targeted airstrikes against terrorists in pakistan could be dubbed recruitment tools for al qaeda since both policies involve planning use -- planting u.s. forces in muslim nations to fight jihaddists. this idea is th

end up in the united states being unable to prosecute this man if the republican position on guantanamo detainees is followed. general colin powell is right, guantanamo needs to be closed. it is a recruiting tool for al qaeda. we know that these individuals can be brought to the united states and tried and safely imprisoned. we've never had an escape from a supermax facility. and we know that to turn these prisoners over to some other country runs the risk that they will be released. dangerous people who threaten the united states should be dealt with by our constitution and laws. the administration has made the right decision that this man be brought to trial in the united states, held accountable for any wrongdoing on his part that led to the deaths of so many hundreds of innocent people at our embassies in africa. mr. president, i ask that my next statement be placed in a separate part of the record. i ask consent. the presiding officer: so ordered. mr. durbin: mr. president, this morning we heard the republican leader come to the floor again -- this is not the first time -- to address the hea

being transferred to the united stat states, declaring -- quote -- "detain eased housed at guantanamo -- detainees housed at guantanamo should not be transferred stateside into facilities in american communities and neighborhoods." in 2009, the senate voted 90-6 to again keep detainees out of america. the views of the american people have not changed. i mentioned the polls. the polls are all conclusive that they, the american people do not want to have these people turned loose in the united states, which is exactly what could happen. well, the quality of facility of gitmo has not changed, it's the only facility of its kind that is -- is currently taking -- has six levels of security for the different levels of security. it has two -- one doctor for each two detainees. and as everyone agrees, it's the ideal place. one of the few good things -- good deals that we have in government, i might add, and that is it only costs us $4,000 a year. we've had this place since 1903. it's something we can't get rid of. now, the only reason i mention this now is i have the bill that's filed. that is the s. 370 t

have not only spoken to chancellor merkleel, t other leaders on how to evaluate the detainee's that are in guantanamo and we have seen a surprising response from countries across europe. i think the particular set specifics of what particular detainee goes where, those are still in preliminary discussions we have to make -- preliminary discussions. we have to make sure that germany's security is thought about, and we will continue to have constructive negotiations on some of these issues. there have been no particular requests made about a certain number of detainees being placed by such and such a date. the chancellor has not made commitments that are specific and that sort. the conversation has remained at a fairly general level at this point. >> we did address that issue, and i made it very clear that we're not going to show responsibility. the minister of the interior is responsible for it. the they had contacts with home secretaries in the united states. as we go to the question of what is to happen with the former detainees of guantanamo, it is the beginning of our process, we are discussing th

amendment to require the department to conduct a thorough threat assessment for each and every guantanamo detainee, to add their names as well to the no-fly list and prevent the possibility of immigration benefits being used as a loophole that could lead to the release of these detainees into the united states. this is a deadly serious issue. we need to know the threat posed by possible transfer of these terrorists to both our hometowns and susceptible inmate populations in our prisons across our country. and this need to know is exacerbated by the fact that the president is moving forward with detainee transfers and resettlements as we speak, ignoring congress' bipartisan, bicameral calls for better planning and risk analysis. the adoption of that amendment is a prime example of how this body can work together in the name of responsible oversight and security. and i believe it's an absolutely vital addition to the bill. madam chairman, it's my hope we can continue to address these issues and further improve what i believe to be a well crafted bill. while i may have made it clear it's my intention

. >> abc interviewed the former guantanamo detainee who is now free in france. he spent seven and half years in guantanamo. he is considering suing the united states government for that time. does the obama administration think that people who have been freed from guantanamo deserve any kind of compensation? >> i would have to ask somebody at nsc what that involves. that has not been part of the discussions the have taken place here as it relates to the issues around the closure of guantanamo. >> on north korea, as the president or anyone been in touch with the former vice- president or about taking a role in helping to try to secure the release of the rich journalists? >> i can check. i have seen discussions about the news -- news reports, i should say, about different people that may or may not go, but i do not have anything to add. >> has the president talked about judge sotomayor? >> i do not think he has talked about her. i know that as a result of a tripping at la guardia, broke a small bone in her ankle. she flew to d.c. it was look at when she got here an

recent debate has focused on keeping all guantanamo detainees out of the united states. political rhetoric has drowned out reason and reality. the criminal justice system handles dangerous criminals. it does so safely and effectively. we are the most powerful nation on earth, we have tried very dangerous people in our courts, holding very dangerous people in our jails and prisons. we tried terrorists of all stripes. think of timothy mcveigh. as senator gramm, on this committee, said recently, "the idea that we cannot find a place to house 250 detainee's within the united states is not rational. we have spent billions of dollars on these facilities. we can do that. prolonged detention, military commissions, both of which are being discussed. i expect that the attorney general, president obama, will face the commitment to value and the dedication to security that you have shown so far. i trust that you will work with us define the rights illusions -- to find the right solutions to these problems. last week's tragic events at the holocaust museum, together with other recent

recent debate is focused on keeping all guantanamo detainees out of the united states. that rigor has drown out reason and reality. there are some dangerous criminals, we are the most powerful nation on earth, we ought to be able to handle the worse of criminals. we try very dangerous people in our courts and hold dangerous people in our prisons. and we try people of all people, think of oklahoma city bombing, timothy mcvay and senator gramm on this committee said recently, quote, the idea that we cannot find a place to securely house 250 detainees in the united states is not rational. we spend billions of dollars on high security facilities. we can do that. and key questions remain for military commissions that are being discussed by the administration. and carry with them the use of abuse. and i ask that you address these commissions the same of law and values. and the same that you and the president have shown so far. another era, we have to come together is a sadly resurgent problem of hate crimes. last week's tragic events at the holocaust museum, is that violence

authorities have brought the first guantanamo detainees to the u.s., flying him to new york to face trial for the bombing of the u.s. embassies in kenya and tanzania in 1998. front page of "the washinton post," the cia objecting to the release of bush-era documents of the interrogation of some of those detainees. the headline this morning, the chrysler deal put on hold as the supreme court reviews the company's bankruptcy reorganization. all this possibly impacting the deal with fiat. more details coming forth from congress and the white house on health care. and this question, are you satisfied with your health care? the numbers to call, 202-737- 0001, our line for republicans. 202-737-0002 if you are a democrat. if you are an independent, 202- 628-0205. this morning, front-page of "the washington post," an in-depth story by cc connolly, decision makers differ on how to mend broken health system. nowhere else in the world is so much money spent with such poor results. on that point there is rare unanimity among washington decision makers, the u.s. health system needs a major overhaul. re

the report -- conference report coming to the house will now allow for the transfer of the guantanamo detainees into the united states? i yield. mr. hoyer: i thank the gentleman for yielding. as the gentleman recalls we had a relatively robust discussion about this last week. let me first of all say that the principal purpose of this bill was, is, and will be on tuesday the funding of our troops in the field, providing them with the resources necessary to complete successfully or pursue successfully the task we have given them. and to provide for their safety and well-being to the possible extent we can. so that was the intent. it is the intent. and will remain the intent. now, let me make a suggestion that providing for some of the poorest nations in the world to be more successful economically will not only be beneficial to the -- our country and to the international economy generally, but also to the safety of our troops, very frankly. they are in deep poverty from which the terrorist vs. been recruited. to the extent w provide for the economies of these small troubled countries we might wel

and the american people have remained in limbo whether the detainees from guantanamo will be transferred to the united states, and we got a letter last night finally on that. and the solutions that i think are dangerous. in march you said some detainees could be released in the united states. and a few days later the director of national intelligence expanded that some sort of public assistance is needed for them to start a new life. the american people need to know the plan and how you will protect the national security. i think you should have laid in the state's secret act and the media shield's law that is opposed by your predecessors and stood silent on bills such as the reauthorization of the patriot act. i think you need to take an action on many areas. mr. holder, i am disappointed and i am worried, i don't think that the american people are happy with the agendas we are seeing. i think these are serious matters and the office of legal counsel told you something that is not constitutional, and i am not happy you ignored that. and when told to keep these confidential, you said no.

are we meeting the goals beyond closing guantanamo if we bring detainees to the united states for what could be in definite retention? >> we are trying to make individualize determinations about what should happen to the people at guantanamo. some will be tried. some will be transferred. the possibility exists that some will be detained in a way that we think is consistent with due process to determine if they should be detained and how long the detention should occur should they continue to pose a threat to the united states. the president indicated the possibility that people could be placed in that category. it would only happen pursuant to a pretty robust to process procedure. >> there are some who might be retained indefinitely without due process? >> with the due process consistent with the laws of war, the due process of would focus on would be the initial determination. that is with regard to making the decision that they would be placed into that the attention mode and then a periodic review that would be done. we want to work with members of this committee in congress to come

the detainees held at guantanamo bay are affiliated with the group. according to the detainees' sworn statement, many acknowledge they had trained at an etim training camp from june to november, 2001 and several confirm that the camp was run by abdul. . following the u.s. invasion of afghanistan in 2001, it's clear that involvement between etim and taliban increased. the leader was hasan mossam who led his men to support taliban and fight alongside them against the u.s. and coalition forces. on october 2, 2003, hasan mossam was killed by a pakistani army raid in south waziristan area of pakistan. additionally in 2008 al qaeda in afghanistan publication titled, quote, martyrs in times of alienation, end of quote, identified 120 martyrs, including five members who trained in tora bora who fought with the taliban in afghanistan against u.s. troops. one is reported to have been killed fighting u.s. forces in 2001 and hasan mossam confirmed prior to his death in 2003 that e tim members trained and fought with forces in afghanistan. in addition to their desi

many members believe the american people do not want detainees in guantanamo brought to the sovereign territory of our country. i'm disappointed we will not debate amendments dealing with the transferor release of detainees from guantanamo bay, cuba, boo the united states. finally, i strongly agree with many members who believe that congress should do everything possible to ensure that the detainee pictures presently subject to the freedom of information act are not released. the president and our military commanders determined that these photos, if released, would risk the safety of u.s. forces in iraq and afghanistan. given the overwhelming support for this language in the senate, i regret we could not address this issue on the house floor today. as in years past, i believe that this legislation reflects many of the armed services committee's priorities in supporting our nation dedicated and courageous service members. i thank the chairman and helping to stay focused on delivering a bill that protects, sustains and builds our forces. i look forward to working with my colleagues to i

the justice department says the first guantanamo bay detainee has been brought to the united states for trial. he of arrived in new york earlier this morning trade he is alleged to the been involved in the al-qaeda up bombings of the u.s. embassies in kenya and tanzania. finally, in illinois, the newspaper says that the son of dennis l. hester will seek his congressional seat. he's as people are ready for the next generation of leadership. those are some of the latest headlines on c-span radio. ed >> "washington journal" continues. host: we want to welcome sey

likewise, the american people remain in limbo about whether detainees from guantanamo would be transferred into the united states. the solution you have suggested, i think it is dangerous. that no detainees could be released, the national intelligence director expanded your statement to apply public assistance for them. voters deserve to know the plan. i think that you should have weighed in on the dangerous legislation in the media shield law proposed by your predecessor. he stood silent on the reauthorization of the patriot act. we need your support. mr. holder, i am disappointed periods i do not think of the american people are happy with the agenda that we are seeing now. these are very serious matters. when attorneys tell you that something is unconstitutional, i am not happy that you ignore that. when you said that we should keep our interrogation confidential, you said no. civil rights are trampled on by members of the black panthers, the offenders were allowed to get away. as the american people look to you to lead in a war against terrorism, you have remained too silent. you have

among the topics they discussed were the situation in iran, guantanamo bay detainees and other things. they spoke for about 35 minutes. >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states and the chancellor of the federal republic of germany. >> it is my pleasure to welcome chancellor merkel to the white house. we had a very productsive discussion in the oval office, and our meeting will continue this afternoon. chancellor merkel's meeting is the latest chapter in the large partnership of our two countries. the service of our men and women in uniform who stood together in a long cold war and together in afghanistan, the innovation of our entrepreneurs who helped sustain our economies and the bonds of frensship and trust between our people, which are unbreakable. >> in recent months i have come to appreciate these bonds through chancellor merkel. we worked close you through the 2k3w-20 summit and the summit in practicing. i admire her leadership and her pragmatic approach to get things done. she and her people have welcomed me to germany twice, and today i am pleased to return

eric holder testifies about a variety of issues facing the justice the permit included the guantanamo bay detainees. >> in washington journal tomorrow morning, we will discuss the situation in iran with a visiting scholar at johns hopkins university. the reaction to president obama's plant for regulating financial markets from 10 members of the house financial services committee. and we will be joined by syndicated columnist george will. it is like every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern. the senate health committee continues work on health-care legislation tomorrow morning. live coverage is on c-span3 at 10 eastern. every weekend, book tv has the latest of fiction books and others on c-span2. saturday on "after words" they will talk about a book from eduardo galeano. it airs sunday night at 9 eastern. also sunday, but some the economy. former investment banker will expose miss about the recession and what it will take to recover. -- will expose myths about the recession and what will take to recover. and the formedavit kessler willk about overheating. there is lot more on "book tv." our website has all the

eric holder testified about a variety of issues facing the justice department including guantanamo bay detainees. the radio and television correspondents association holds its annual dinner friday with president obama scheduled to speak. live coverage at 9:45 p.m. eastern time. >> people do not want to think of roosevelts work dealing with conservation. from the grand canyon to devil's tower. he was on a mission to save the west. >> now people are talking about the grain movement, roosevelt is becoming the chief figure. he was the only politician of his day who understood biology and bird migratory patterns. the mating habits of deer and elk and antelope and actually did something. >> sunday on "q&a" we will be speaking with douglas brinkley. that is sunday at 8:00 p.m. eastern. >> president obama has announced a number of changes to the financial regulatory system. the system -- the plan would dismantle large financial companies and for the first time into was regulations on certain types of transactions. this is 20 minutes. >> i administration has an extraordinary response to a historic econom

host: thank you. , "newsmakers -- on "newsmakers" this week, the obama decision on guantanamo bay detainee is. here is what they had to say talking about republican efforts for a health-care bill. >> we have two main committees working on the bill in the senate. health, labor, education. 10 kit -- ted kennedy has been the chairman but he has not been healthy enough to oversee that. his staff for a bill that was very partisan. it has rationing, the government running health insurance, mandates formed lawyers to pay for -- mandates for employers to pay for policies. on the finance committee, there has been more discussion. we had a lot of meetings where we talk about this. the bill is not being written with republican input. >> last week i was speaking with finance democrats, they insisted that max baucus and chuck grassley, but i am wondering if they are grasping at straws. trying to grab for olympia snowe, maybe a couple of others. does not sound like to me you will pick up a bipartisan vote. >> you are exactly right. charles grassley has been given no authority to negotiate anything. he h

less than an hour, attorney general eric holder talked about a variety of issues including guantanamo bay detainee'sater, president obama announces new plans to regulate financial institutions. on "washington journal" tomorrow morning, will discuss the situation in iran with a scholar from johns hopkins university. we will hear from two members of the house financial-services committee, republican jed h ensarling and republican luis good year as. "washington journal -- gutierrez. "washington journal" is live every morning at 7:00 eastern. live coverage of health care legislation markup is on thursday. >> every weekend, "book tv" has the latest nonfiction books and authors. writers and artists, gods and visionaries, from the garden of eden to today. eduardo galeano with a collection of short stories. he talks with john dingus. also sunday, books on the economy. former investment maker john talbott exposes the myths about the recession and what it will take to recover. then, j. richards on why he thinks capitalism is the best way to ease poverty and protect the environment. also this weekend, the end

. >> senator leahy and specter introduced a reform bill allowing detainees at guantanamo bay to not have habeas rights. they could not bring money damages against our troops. are you supportive of making sure that any habeas petition does not allow the accused terrorist to suit our own military members? >> i have not look at that bill. i have a visceral, positive reaction to that view. clearly, we want to have habeas rights that protect the welfare of people being detained, but the notion that our troops might be the subject of a lawsuit is something i would be very aware of. >> lawsuits were brought against an army doctor for medical malpractice by one of the detainees. we have streamlined habeas procedures in other areas of domestic law. is that correct? >> we do. >> there is no right of anybody to a habeas appeal. >> that is true. i would like to look at what the specific proposal might be. >> i wanted to consider that since these detainees have habeas rights, if we can consolidate their cases, we will not have different standards by different judges and to put the burden on the gover

eric holder testifies about a variety of issues facing the justice department, including guantanamo bay detainee's. >> the radio and television correspondents association holds its annual dinner friday with president obama scheduled to speak. live coverage at 9 of 45 eastern time. >> people do not want to think of roosevelt's conservation as a policy as much as a passion. he put aside millions of acres of while america. >> from crater lake to dallas tower and the grand canyon, president theodore roosevelt was on a mission to save the west. >> so now as people are talking about environmentalism and agreed movement, what has evolved is -- he was the only politician of the day who understood biology and understood birds migratory patterns, and mating habits of deer and elk and antelope, and actually did something. >> sunday on "q&a", the first of two hours with douglas brinkley. sunday night at 8:00 on c-span, or download the c-span podcast. >> obama has announced a number of proposed changes to the financial regulatory system. the plan would create a way to dismantle large financial companies and, f

if they are congressman rabble to the kind of -- comp rabble -- comparable to the kind of detainees at guantanamo today. my understanding is that we are way overcrowded in the facilities today. can you just tell us, do you know whether that is true or not? do you want to respond on the record? >> what, that they are overcrowded? >> yes. my understand sg there is a capacity of 13,000 and there are 20,000 being held. >> senator, i would have to get you those statistics. i don't know off hand. >> two other matters. one has to do with the recruitment of terrorists in jail. we know that's a big problem with this kind of militant islamist. it is something the f.b.i. director testified in the houps about. -- testified in the house of representatives about. is there anying you could tell us about how we could prevent that from occurring? >> i understand the concern, but i think there are measures that can be taken to minimize that possibility. terrorists, people who are considered terrorists are generally held out of the general population, so there is not the ability to interact with other prisoners in

because i think beyond guantanamo bay detainees, there is a group on a base that are non-afghan fighters that are probably never going to go in the afghan legal system for lots of reasons. some have been there three or four years, frankly, and we need to evaluate that population, see if we can bring them back to this new system whatever it is, reintegrate them into this system. some will have to be brought back here in our system and we're likely to capture more during the upcoming surge of troops. and i'd like to speak as chairman of the intelligence committee. we saw the april article. the tenlts committee held a hearing. we asked the questions. we were assured it was not correct. i have since spent time with general alexander, i've gone over this chapter in verse and i do not believe that any content is reviewed in this program. we will hold another hearing and we will go into it again. and i'm surprised by this article because they're two very good journalists who have written it and yet everything that i know so far indicates that the thrust of the story, that there are flagrant act

an update on detainees at guantanamo bay. u.s. officials say four uigur detainees were sent to bermuda, the first time since 2006 the u.s. successfully resettled any of guantanamo's populations of chinese muslims. . a hearing on the issue starts in about one hour with ken lewis. you can hear live on c-span rita. a real to track report says foreclosure filings fell in may. but they remain an elevated levels. it is the third month in a row that foreclosure filings exited 300,000. in a normal market would be less than 100,000 per month. senate republicans introduced legislation today to force the treasury department to divest its stakes in several industries by july 2010. under the proposal the federal government would be prohibited from taking new ownership stakes in private industry, forbid influencing management decisions, and be required to submit a plan on how will and its interest in fannie mae and freddie mac. senators john cornyn and spoon are expected to hold a news conference later. even though the use of charter flights doe

there's a task force evaluating each detainee at guantanamo and determining who can be tried in an article 3 court, who can be transferred to another country, who can be released and transferred. there's a huge amount thought going into this. military commissions, he feels there is a place, and narrow place for them, but a legitimate role for military commissions in a time of war, but he has also made very clear that they need to be improved upon. there are a number of administrative changes that he has ordered that involve no introduction of evidence of statements that were obtained by use of torture. they have greater choice of counsel. the burden of proof on hearsay evidence is now on the government if they want to introduce the hearsay evidence instead of all the detainee. he wants to work with congress in making even more changes, so another change is engaging in working with congress on a number of these very difficult issues. specifically on military commissions, this is an area where we are in the middle figuring out exactly what the changes are we would like to see and working wit