Obama dealt major setback in closing Guantanamo

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s 5-year-old campaign to close the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has suffered a major setback.

House and Senate negotiators finalizing the annual defense policy bill have rejected a provision that would have given the president the authority to transfer terror suspects to the United States if Congress signs off on a comprehensive plan to shutter the facility.

Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, told reporters on Monday that the provision was not included in the legislation.

Obama has pushed to close the facility since his inauguration in January 2009 but has faced resistance from Republicans and some Democrats in Congress.

The House and Senate are expected to vote in the lame-duck session on the sweeping policy bill.