Senate Democrats won’t give Obama money to close Gitmo

Senate Democrats will not give the Obama administration $80 million it requested to close Guantanamo Bay and relocate the detainees.

The AP reports Democrats will not fork over the funds until the administration has come up with a specific plan for dealing with Gitmo prisoners.

Republicans have been hammering Democrats over the possibility that detainees may be transferred to facilities in the United States. GOPers in the House recently introduced legislation that would bar the administration from transferring prisoners to the U.S. without the consent of the governor and legislator of the state where they’d be headed.

From the AP:

It appears to be a tactical retreat. Once the administration develops a plan to close the facility, congressional Democrats are likely to revisit the topic, provided they are satisfied there are adequate safeguards.

The developments on Capitol Hill came as the Pentagon said it still expects the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be closed by January 2010 as Obama has ordered.