Senator Richard Durbin on Health Care and Guantanamo Detainees

Strategic Insights -

In a CNN "The Situation Room" interview with Wolf Blitzer, Gloria Borger, and Candy Crowley on November 17, 2009, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) discussed his support for housing detainees from Guantanamo Bay at the Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois. Durbin emphasized that the facility can safely and securely hold the detainees, creating jobs in his state and expanding the prison for other inmates.

As the majority whip, Durbin also addressed concerns over the health care bill's transparency, stating that the bill will be available on the Internet for the public to read before it is voted on. He acknowledged that negotiations over the bill's cost are ongoing, but expressed confidence in the Congressional Budget Office's ability to finalize a report soon.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senator Richard Durbin supports housing Guantanamo detainees at the Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois, citing the facility's ability to hold 340 convicted terrorists securely and safely.
  • Durbin believes that housing the detainees will create jobs in his state and allow for the expansion of the prison for other inmates.
  • Despite concerns from Republican Congressman Don Manzullo, Durbin downplays the potential threat posed by the detainees, pointing to the successful incarceration of an al Qaeda terrorist in Peoria, Illinois.
  • Durbin acknowledges the complexity of the health care bill's negotiations, but expresses confidence in the Congressional Budget Office's ability to finalize a report.
  • Durbin expects the bill to be available on the Internet for public review before it is voted on.
  • The health care bill's cost will be offset through a combination of measures, including a proposal to increase payroll taxes for individuals making over $250,000.
  • Durbin expresses uncertainty about whether the Democrats have secured the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican-led filibuster and bring the bill to the floor.

Statistics:

  • 340: Total number of convicted terrorists being held in prison across the United States.
  • 35: Number of al Qaeda-connected terrorists being held in Illinois.
  • 250,000: Proposed threshold for individuals subject to increased payroll taxes on Medicare.
  • 4 weeks: Amount of time it has taken the Congressional Budget Office to review and finalize the health care bill.

Sources:

  • CNN "The Situation Room" (November 17, 2009)
  • Federal News Service, Inc.