Justice Department to Purchase Thomson Prison?

That’s what Robert Gibbs suggested in his press conference today when asked about the House Armed Services Committee’s move to block the Defense Department from purchasing the Illinois prison, a necessary step in President Obama’s plan to close Guantanamo Bay.

I will say that we have always maintained that we need increased prison facility, and I think the law prevents the Department of Defense from — but not the Department of Justice — from purchasing such a facility.

The annual Justice Department funding bill has only barely arrived in the House Judiciary Committee, so perhaps that will become the vehicle for the purchase.

Gibbs also said that the administration will send a report to Congress explaining why the Thomson-based Guantanamo closure makes sense. But it’s not clear from the summary language of the markup of the defense authorization bill that receipt of such a report will unlock the Thomson money. Either way, the administration needs to get on that: A full House vote on the bill is expected next week.