SB 104-17: Guantanamo Bay Prison Closure Act (Passed)

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

AN ACT
To withdraw from Guantanamo Bay

Be it enacted by the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Guantanamo Bay Withdrawal Act.

Section 2. Content

1. The Republic of Atlasia revokes its claim on the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base following the completion of Section 2, Part 2.
2. The Republic of Atlasia shall extract all personnel and assets from Guantanamo Bay following this Act within a month.
3. The sovereignty of Cuba over Guantanamo Bay is hereby recognized by the Republic of Atlasia.

Section 3. Taking Effect
1. This Act shall take effect immediately following the passage of this bill.

Sponsor: Ishan Scott

The gentleman from the Virgin Islands is recognized.

[Continential]

According to the Cuban-American Treaty of Relations, Guantanamo Bay was leased to the US "for the purpose of coaling and naval stations". I don't see the point for having naval stations and for having the prison camp and since it is a lease, we should give it back to Cuba to improve relations.

[Joseph Cao]

Is there any evidence that Cuba wants Guantánamo Bay returned? Setting aside that naval stations are still a valuable asset, this seems like the kind of decision that could have inadvertent side effects.

We could simply demolish the prison or lease it out or something if that is the offending factor here, although I vaguely recall that it is no longer used as such by the Atlasian government.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Is there any evidence that Cuba wants Guantánamo Bay returned? Setting aside that naval stations are still a valuable asset, this seems like the kind of decision that could have inadvertent side effects.

We could simply demolish the prison or lease it out or something if that is the offending factor here, although I vaguely recall that it is no longer used as such by the Atlasian government.

Cuba refusing to take our payments tells me they don't recognize our hold on it.

However I agree that such a thing could have unintended side effects. I lean against this bill for now.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

What exactly are our interests in keeping it? I admittedly don't know what Atlasian-Cuban relations are like in-game, but IRL we've been making a good faith effort to normalize relations, and also to rectify the gross human rights abuses that previous "Atlasian" governments are guilty of.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

I think any handover would be better as part of a larger deal rather than a standalone thing like this.

[AGA]

I don't see how this is in the interest of Atlasia.

[Senator-elect Spark]

What is the impetus to do this?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

For the record, if it is necessary for passage, I would change the bill to a resolution for the Secretary of State to bring Cuba to the table and offer them Guantanamo Bay as part of a longer term strategy to integrate Cuba into the international community.

I still don't see how it is in our interests to keep Guantanamo Bay, especially given the egregious human rights abuses that we must take responsibility for.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am against abandoning the naval base. Regardless of the abuses that transpired in the prison complex, the naval base as a whole should be treated as a separate issue. At most we should shut down the prison complex.

[Joseph Cao]

The issue of human rights abuses can be addressed directly by closing the prison. Whether Cuba wants Guantanamo Bay is something to discuss either at the negotiating table with them or in a separate bill, and while I personally don't favor that decision it may not necessarily be ours alone to make. Either way, closing the prison is still going to necessitate a lot of work in reviewing prisoners' histories and transferring them to appropriate facilities, and any bill to shut the prison down is going to have to allow for that at least.

I may introduce an amendment or something depending on what you all think of it.

[SevenEleven]

I am awaiting input from the Secretary of State as to what the best answer here is. The naval base seems to be a vital national security interest.

[Blair]

Its very easy to give up a naval asset like this, but would be virtually impossible to get it back.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Looks like this bill will be going on hold until we at least have a new Secretary of State.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

This needs new sponsorship within the following week or it will be tabled. I understand that the administration prefers to close the prison at this time. I am personally willing to settle for half a loaf, so I will motion to assume sponsorship with the intention of introducing a new amendment to close the prison and formally apologize for the egregious human rights violations we must assume responsibility for.

Senators have 24 hours to object to the motion of sponsorship.

[Senator-elect Spark]

I oppose this bill due to the risk for moving prisoners. Motion to table.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Hearing no objection, I am recognized as sponsor.

I submit the following amendment, to which senators have 24 hours to object:

AN ACT
To withdraw from Guantanamo Bay close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp

Be it enacted by the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Guantanamo Bay Prison Closure Act.

Section 2. Content

1. The Republic of Atlasia revokes its claim on the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base shall suspend continued use of the Guantanamo Bay detention center following the completion of Section 2, Part 2.

2. All remaining prisoners shall be either extradited to their country of origin or tried in the Atlasian court system. Administrators of the Guantanamo Bay detention center shall have 90 days to make these determinations prior to closure of the prison and discharge of all prisoners.
2. The Republic of Atlasia shall extract all personnel and assets from Guantanamo Bay following this Act within a month.
3. The sovereignty of Cuba over Guantanamo Bay is hereby recognized by the Republic of Atlasia.

Section 3. Resolution acknowledging and apologizing for human rights abuses

The Atlasian federal government officially acknowledges and apologizes for all cruel and unusual interrogation tactics used at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, including torture, humiliating acts, solitary confinement, temperature extremes, and forced physical positions.

Section 4. Taking Effect
1. This Act shall take effect immediately following the passage of this bill.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Hearing no objection, the amendment is adopted.

There hasn't been much debate on this either, so I'm opening a final vote in 24 hours barring objections.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Good.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

I would be surprised if we hadn't already done this, though under the assumption we haven't I'll vote aye when the final vote occurs

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

For the record, we have approximately ~40 remaining prisoners. Most prisoners were discharged from Gitmo under Obama.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Hearing no objection, the amendment is adopted.


Senators, a final vote is now open. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

AN ACT
To close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp

Be it enacted by the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Guantanamo Bay Prison Closure Act.

Section 2. Content

1. The Republic of Atlasia shall suspend continued use of the Guantanamo Bay detention center following the completion of Section 2, Part 2.

2. All remaining prisoners shall be either extradited to their country of origin or tried in the Atlasian court system. Administrators of the Guantanamo Bay detention center shall have 90 days to make these determinations prior to closure of the prison and discharge of all prisoners.

Section 3. Resolution acknowledging and apologizing for human rights abuses

The Atlasian federal government officially acknowledges and apologizes for all cruel and unusual interrogation tactics used at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, including torture, humiliating acts, solitary confinement, temperature extremes, and forced physical positions.

Section 4. Taking Effect

1. This Act shall take effect immediately following the passage of this bill.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Aye

[Saint Milei]

Aye

[OBD]

Aye