Submitted from the office of Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins

WASHINGTON, DC– On Thursday, April 28th, the House Homeland Security Committee will be holding a hearing entitled, “Transferring Guantanamo Bay Detainees To The Homeland: Implications For States And Local Communities.”Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) invited Todd Thompson, the Leavenworth County Attorney, as a witness to speak about how the President’s plan to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and potentially transfer the remaining terrorists to the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth would impact the Leavenworth community.

“Time and time again, the folks of Leavenworth have voiced their opposition to the President’s plan to potentially transfer Guantanamo detainees to Fort Leavenworth. That’s why I have been fighting, since January of 2009, to stop the President’s campaign promise from being fulfilled,” said Congresswoman Jenkins. “I am thrilled that Todd will be a key witness at this important hearing. His testimony will help provide another local viewpoint as to why the President’s campaign promise is deeply flawed and how it will adversely affect the Leavenworth community.”

Ahead of the hearing, Todd Thompson, the Leavenworth County Attorney, stated the following:

“The lack of communication from the President and Department of Defense with the Leavenworth community has made it nearly impossible for us to prepare for the possibility of the detainees from Guantanamo Bay coming here. There are national and international leaders and their families that live in this community. Families have loved ones buried a short distance from where the detainees would be housed. That, coupled with the strain of already-limited resources in our area, would be detrimental to our community.”