Dina Titus Passed the Buck on Adding Gitmo Detainees to “No Fly List”

FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15); Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01) and Dina Titus (NV-03).

May 15, 2009                                                                                                             (202) 479-7070

Dina Titus Passed the Buck on Adding Gitmo Detainees to “No Fly List”
Voted to Add More Red-Tape to Keeping Terrorists off Planes in United States

Washington- Yesterday, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) voted to add even more bureaucratic obstacles to a bill that was aimed at protecting Americans from extreme terrorist threats by adding Guantanamo detainees to the Transportation and Security Administration’s “No Fly List.”

The Committee on Homeland Security held a markup yesterday where Dina Titus voted to give the President the final authority on whether or not to add Guantanamo detainees to the “no fly list” (Committee Roll Call Vote No. 2, 5/14/09).  Given the President’s recent decision to close Gitmo without a real plan in place on what to do with the terrorists there, Titus’ actions have the potential of endangering American lives by failing to ensure that Gitmo detainees are not allowed to fly into the United States.

Rep. Mark Souder originally introduced an amendment to place Guantanamo detainees on the “no fly list,” but the Democrats quickly turned around and voted to consolidate the decision-making power under the President.

“Dina Titus has displayed a disturbing pattern of failing to take responsibility for protecting her constituents in Nevada from the obvious national security threats posed by terrorists at Gitmo,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain.  “Dina Titus’ refusal take a stand and prohibit terrorist from flying on planes in the United States goes beyond the pale of endorsing dangerous policies.”

Congressional Quarterly covered the “heated” debate over the Democrats’ failure to properly protect American families from the terrorist threat posed by failing to add Gitmo detainees to the “no fly list”:

“There were heated discussions Thursday on several amendments — most notably the proposal to put the names of detainees at Guantánamo Bay on the no-fly list.

“‘Regardless of your view on Gitmo, regardless of your views on the no-fly list, it is inconceivable to me that members of Congress would not want to restrict Gitmo detainees,’ said Mark Souder, R-Ind., who introduced the amendment. President Obama wants to close the facility and move the detainees elsewhere.”

“Pascrell proposed a modification to Souder’s amendment that would add the names to the no-fly list after the president issues a ‘final disposition.’ Pascrell’s measure was adopted on a 14-11 party line vote…”

“Republicans said the discussion over the no-fly-list amendment and Thompson’s decision to cut off debate were symptomatic of a larger issue — what they called Democratic reticence to talk about what will happen to Guantánamo detainees after that facility closes.” (Rob Margetta, “TSA Reauthorization Approved by House Panel,” Congressional Quarterly, May 15, 2009)