White House Presents Plan to Close Guantanamo Bay

The White House has unveiled its plan to shut down the military prison Guantanamo Bay in Cuba on Tuesday.

In President Barack Obama's address, which was made from the Roosevelt Room at the White House, he said, "It's been clear that the detention center at Guantanamo Bay does not advance our national security. It undermines our standing in the world."

Obama added, "This is about closing a chapter in our history. It reflects the lessons we've learned since 9/11. We recognize that this is going to be a challenge. We are going to keep making the case to Congress."

The Barack Obama administration provided a blueprint to Congress in regards to the details and costs involved with closing the prison. If approved, about 30 to 60 prisoners will be transferred 13 potential sites in the United States for detention or trial. Detainees who are considered to be low-risk will be moved overseas.

The administration added it will need up to $475 million to carry out the entire plan, which mainly includes construction costs. The costs will be offset by the amount of money it takes to run Guantanamo bay, the administration noted. Obama has previously cited these high costs as a reason why the prison has to be shut down.

An approval of the plan would also mean that Congress has to change a law that currently forbids the nation from spending any money on bringing prisoners into mainland U.S.

The plan, however, is unlikely to get any traction in the Republican-led Congress. Several congressmen were already voicing their concerns about Obama's plans to shut down Guantanamo Bay prior to the blueprint.

"The American people have a right to expect that the administration will be transparent and honest with them about the activities and associations of the terrorists who remain at Guantanamo," Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said in a statement Monday. "The administration's refusal to do so only underscores the fact that closing Guantanamo will make Americans less safe."

There are currently 91 detainees left at Guantanamo. 35 of them are considered to be transferable to another country.