Scott Reacts to News of Beaufort’s 131st Military Police Co. Being Deployed to Guantanamo Bay

Washington– Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) released the following statement in reaction to confirmation by the South Carolina Army National Guard that a unit from Beaufort will deploy to Cuba to join the Joint Task Force Guantanamo. The Task Force is responsible for housing detained enemy combatants as well as supporting law enforcement and war crimes investigations.

“I am proud that Beaufort’s 131st Military Police Company has been an important part of our national security operations since 2010 and have supported critical missions around the world, including those in Kosovo and Afghanistan.Instead of President Obama’s reckless and ill-conceived plan to bring dangerous terrorists to South Carolina, some of South Carolina’s finest are bringing themselves to the terrorists in Gitmo to help continue to keep all Americans safe.

Our community can take great pride in the 131st’s service to our country. These brave men and women and their families are in our prayers as they prepare to take on this new task. Having visited the Guantanamo facility last October, I know that this unit will joinmen and women consistently doing a fantastic job in the face of so much adversity from detainees. While there, I learned of the over 250 assaults made against guards with not one single retaliation.I look forward to their safe return to South Carolina after their mission is complete.

As the 131st Military Police Company prepares to serve our nation in Cuba, I again call on the Obama administration to immediately abandon their reckless plan to close Guantanamo Bay and move these dangerous terrorists to any domestic facility, including possibly to the Naval Brig in Hanahan. Guantanamo is the best place in the world for us to house these detainees, period.”

Senator Scott joined Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) to introduce the Detaining Terrorists to Protect Americans Act, which bars the President from transferring any detainee to any foreign country and continues a current prohibition on the closure of the Guantanamo Bay facility as well as any attempt to transfer detainees to domestic sites.Senator Scott also joined Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) to introduce Senate Resolution 396, calling on the President to detain ISIS fighters at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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