Obama signs bill limiting detainee moves

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama Friday signed into law a defense spending bill barring funding for bringing Guantanamo, Cuba, detainees to the United States for trial.

However, in a statement, the president said he would work with Congress to try to repeal the restriction, which he said "has the potential to harm our national security."

The bill, H.R. 6523, authorizes funding for defense, as well as defense of U.S. interests abroad, military construction and national security-related energy programs.

"Section 1032 bars the use of funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act for fiscal year 2011 to transfer Guantanamo detainees into the United States, and section 1033 bars the use of certain funds to transfer detainees to the custody or effective control of foreign countries unless specified conditions are met," Obama said. "Section 1032 represents a dangerous and unprecedented challenge to critical executive branch authority to determine when and where to prosecute Guantanamo detainees, based on the facts and the circumstances of each case and our national security interests."

Obama said prosecution of terrorists in federal court "is a powerful tool in our efforts to protect the Nation and must be among the options available to us."

"Any attempt to deprive the executive branch of that tool undermines our Nation's counterterrorism efforts and has the potential to harm our national security, " he said.

Obama said he signed the bill because of the importance of authorizing military activities in 2011 but he said his administration would "work with the Congress to seek repeal of these restrictions, will seek to mitigate their effects, and will oppose any attempt to extend or expand them in the future."