Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s vague, loosely constructed plan to close the Guantanamo Bay facility:

“At a time when the top concern of the American people is national security and safety at home, I am baffled as to why this President would make another attempt at convincing the American people and Congress that we should be welcoming the most dangerous of U.S. enemies into our country. This is an argument that he has already lost. His plan would bypass current law, which bars the transfer of detainees to the U.S.—a law which his own Attorney General publically acknowledged was clear late last year.

“For the last seven years, Congress has explicitly rejected the President’s irresponsible path to closing the Guantanamo Bay detainment facility.

“To refer to this submission as a plan is astonishing for the hubris implored. Barack Obama submitted a messaging document. And the only message that has been conveyed is that, once again, the Obama Administration is more than willing to play Russian Roulette with our national security.”