On October 15, 2009, the US House of Representatives voted 307-114 to approve legislation that would allow Guantanamo Bay detainees to be transferred to US soil for prosecution. The measure was part of a $42.7 billion spending bill for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The legislation would forbid the release of Guantanamo detainees onto US soil and allows their transfer only for purposes of prosecution in federal courts and only after a thorough security assessment. The legislation was later passed by the Senate and signed by President Barack Obama.

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