House passes defense bill that still hampers closing Gitmo

[...] that dispute was resolved, and Obama on Monday signed a bipartisan budget bill that avoids a catastrophic U.S. default and puts off the next round of fighting over federal spending and debt until after next year's presidential and congressional elections.

Among the adjustments were $230,000 for the next-generation bomber to replace the aging bomber fleet — money that the Pentagon wasn't going to spend anyway because it took longer than expected to sign the contract to build it; $1 billion saved because of lower-than-anticipated oil prices; and $442 million in readiness funds for the Army and National Guard.

Closing the prison was a priority of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, and he promised during his first days in office that he would eventually shutter the facility, which he argues is costly and gives extremists a recruiting tool.

The White House is preparing to release the administration's plan to close the prison, which is expected to propose transferring some detainees to places in the United States where they could be securely held — an idea that already has drawn heavy opposition on Capitol Hill.