A Senate panel has approved legislation that would bar most transfers from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a roadblock in President Barack Obama's push to close the detention center.
The vote was 14-12 at a closed-door session. It came just as the White House said Obama would veto the bill.
The measure would suspend the transfer of high- or medium-risk terror suspects from Guantanamo to the U.S. or other countries during Obama's remaining two years in office. It also would repeal current law that allows the transfer of low-risk detainees to foreign countries.
When Obama took office six years ago, there were 242 detainees at Guantanamo. Today there are 122. Of those, 54 are eligible for transfer.