Press Releases

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Rob Wittman joined 15 of his fellow House members as original cosponsors of Rep. Buck McKeon’s legislation to prohibit Department of Defense installations located in the U.S. or its territories from being used as facilities for conducting civilian court terror trials. Top Obama Administration Justice Department officials are currently in the process of searching for a new site to try 9/11 conspirator Khalid Sheikh Mohammed after the people of New York City rejected the decision to hold trials there.  “

This legislation aims to ensure that terrorists who masterminded 9/11 won’t be tried in civilian courts at any military installations in the United States, and particularly any military bases in Virginia’s First Congressional District”, said Wittman. 

Wittman added that, “We have already spent over $250 million in taxpayer dollars to construct a facility to house and try these dangerous combatants. Americans should not live in fear of having terrorists brought to their doorsteps.” 

This legislation is the latest in a number of bills cosponsored by Wittman to halt the movement of detainees to the U.S. or its territories for trial or detention. Wittman has also cosponsored: H.R. 1638, which prohibits funds for transferring terrorist to any location in Virginia, H.R. 4127, which makes it mandatory for terrorists to be tried in Military Commissions rather than a civilian courts, H.R. 4556, which prohibits the use of Department of Justice funds for terror trials in civilian courts, and H.R. 4490, The Detainee Transfer and Release Security Act of 2010.

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He was elected to his first full term in November 2008 and serves on the Natural Resources Committee and the Armed Services Committee where he is the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.