President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and appropriations committee chair David Obey (D-Wisc.) are in full agreement regarding the closure of the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, aides to both lawmakers said, despite Obey's decision not to include funds for the shutdown in the supplemental war spending bill.
"We will work with President Obama to achieve our goal of closing Guantanamo Bay," said Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly.
"Ditto," said Obey spokeswoman Kirstin Brost.
The division broke into the open when Obey declined to include funds for closure of the base and told reporters: "When they have a plan, they're welcome to come back and talk to us."
Capitol insiders will recognize the quote as vintage gruff Obey, but to the unacquainted, it sounds like harsh criticism.
Pulling Guantanamo funding out of the package will also make the war money much easier for House Republicans to support. Their support may be needed, as antiwar Democrats are reluctant to give Obama money to sink the U.S. deeper into a war that is now in its eighth year and often compared to Vietnam.
Democrats in Congress say that the White House is not in need of money quickly, so tabling the funding for now won't have any practical impact.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.