Washington—Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement on President Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo:

“The president today laid out why Guantanamo should be closed and a pathway to do so, and I believe Congress should take action to support this effort.

“Today, 91 detainees remain at Guantanamo, 35 of whom have been cleared for transfer to other countries. That means we’ll be keeping Guantanamo open for just 56 detainees—at great cost to both taxpayers and our national security.

“Closing Guantanamo would remove a potent recruiting tool for terrorists and would save taxpayers between $140 million and $180 million a year. And there are ways to accomplish this: The president’s plan says there are at least 13 sites in the United States where detainees could be held securely.

“One step Congress should take is lifting the ban on transferring detainees to the United States, allowing those who cannot be prosecuted at Guantanamo to be prosecuted in federal criminal court. By upholding this ban, Congress tacitly approves keeping Guantanamo open forever. This prison is a waste of taxpayer dollars—more than $5 billion to date—and stands in contrast to our values as a nation.

“It’s time we close Guantanamo once and for all.”