Illinois Congressional leaders call for a vote in Springfield on selling Thomson to the Feds

              Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today called on Illinois Senate President John Cullerton to hold a vote on legislation designed to give the public a greater say in whether an Illinois prison will be used to house terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay. 

             “The Illinois State Senate has waited long enough to vote on this bill,” said Biggert, a long-time opponent of the Obama Administration’s plans to bring terrorist detainees to American soil.  “Even Speaker Madigan was willing to bring the bill for a vote and give Illinois House members a chance to represent their constituents’ views.  The Senate should do the same.  This is not some minor property sale – this is a decision that will cost our state a major detention facility and impact the security of millions of Illinois residents.”

           In a letter signed by Biggert and four other members of Illinois’ Congressional delegation, the Senate President is urged to bring HB 4744 to the floor for a vote.  The bill, which passed the Illinois House on February 17, 2010, would require approval of the Illinois General Assembly before the Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois, or any other state surplus property valued over $1 million, can be sold by the Governor.  The letter comes as Governor Quinn’s Administration closes state prison operations at the facility today, April 30th, allowing the property to be declared as “surplus” and therefore eligible for sale to the federal government for use as a domestic detainee center for Guantanamo prisoners.

              The full text of the letter and a list of co-signers follows:

April 30, 2010 

The Honorable John Cullerton
President of the Senate
327 Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706

Dear Senate President Cullerton:

As you near completion of the current legislative session in the Illinois Senate, we respectfully request that you bring House Bill 4744 to the Senate floor for a vote.  This important legislation would require approval of the Illinois General Assembly before the Thomson Correctional Center can be sold by Governor Quinn to the Federal Government. 

As you know, the President has included in his fiscal year 2011 budget funding to complete the purchase of the Illinois prison facility, where the Administration intends to transfer enemy terrorist combatants currently detained at the U.S. Naval facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Furthermore, the state has announced that today, April 30, 2010, it will close operations at the Thomson Correctional Center, qualifying the facility to be declared surplus property, and thereby making it eligible for sale by the Governor.  

We believe that a decision to sell this facility, with such profound implications, is of a magnitude that deserves the full attention and input of the entire Illinois legislature. 

Full Senate debate and consideration has been afforded to legislation to create commemorative license plates, name state highways, and license hair braiders.  We simply ask that the same consideration be given to a bill that carries enormous safety, security, and financial implications at the local, state, and national level.

We applaud House Speaker Michael Madigan’s decision to provide state representatives with the opportunity to debate and vote on HB 4744, which was approved by an overwhelming vote of 81 to 31.  It would be a grave disservice to state residents and a violation of the public trust for the Governor to sell this property without the transparency and accountability of an open and fair vote before Illinois’ elected leaders. 

In Washington, we are working hard to ensure that public safety remains paramount in all decisions relating to detainee policy.  In Illinois, we ask that you do the same by holding a full vote in the Illinois Senate on HB 4744.

Sincerely

Judy Biggert (IL-13), Aaron Schock (IL-18), Timothy V. Johnson (IL-15), Peter J. Roskam (IL-6), and John Shimkus (IL-19)

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