WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback thanked Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, for Skelton's effort to keep Guantanamo Bay detainees out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Chairman Skelton today sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates laying out his argument against transferring enemy combatants to the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth.

"Chairman Skelton lends a respected voice to the debate on where to house the detainees currently at Guantanamo Bay," said Brownback. "I appreciate the Chairman speaking out against the suggestion from the Defense Department that Fort Leavenworth is an appropriate place to house enemy combatants. For several months I have asserted that it would be both unwise and unsafe for the Administration to transfer the detainees to the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. I am hopeful that the Defense Department will take seriously Chairman Skelton's letter, and will once and for all remove Fort Leavenworth from the list of possible sites to house the detainees."

Following is full text of Chairman Skelton's letter:

"This letter follows attempts to reach Jeh Johnson, the Department's General Counsel, and Michèle Flournoy, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, about several of my serious concerns regarding the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Thank you for the hard work that you and your senior team, along with those from the Department of Justice and elsewhere in our government, are undertaking to implement President Obama's direction to close this detention facility by early next year. I agree with the President that the detention facility in Guantanamo, in the minds of many around the world, have tarnished the otherwise sterling reputation of our Armed Forces and our country. Guantanamo has also become a recruiting tool for those who would seek to harm us.

"I realize the great challenges involved in identifying secure locations to which to transfer detainees currently held at Guantanamo. In that regard, I would like to make you aware of two strong concerns that I have regarding any consideration of transferring detainees to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

"First, Fort Leavenworth is home not only to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, but also to the Army's Command and General Staff College. As a long-time proponent of professional military education, I want to ensure that Army officers attending this school have the best education possible. In my view, a critical component of that learning experience comes from the interaction that our students have with foreign military officers attending the school. Not only is this a critical way of enhancing the professional excellence of partner militaries, such interactions also serve our officers and this nation well by allowing our officers and their foreign counterparts to form long-term working relationships. I have heard repeatedly from field commanders on down how these relationships often make the difference in successful military operations overseas.

"I have strong indications that, if detainees from Guantanamo were to be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, a number of Muslim countries would decline to continue to send their students to the Command and General Staff College. This would have a very negative outcome for our military officers, the school, and the health of our relationships with Muslim nations.

"In addition, as you may be aware the United States Code precludes the proximate detention of American and foreign individuals. Although relevant case law interpreting the U.S. Code does not prohibit certain co-location under particular circumstances, plans to transfer Guantanamo detainees to Fort Leavenworth would require additional expenses for military construction and enhanced security so as not to run afoul of the law. I urge you to look carefully at those costs and security requirements in making your recommendations to the President.

"Mr. Secretary, I would ask that you keep me apprised of the Department's thinking about potential locations for the movement of detainees. I feel strongly that Fort Leavenworth is not an appropriate option. I look forward to working with you and the President in achieving his goal of shuttering the detention facility at Guantanamo, while continuing to keep America safe."