On Monday House Democratic leaders dropped President Obama's request for $81 million to fund the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, giving into Republican criticism that the administration lacks a plan to relocate terror suspects being detained there. Obama had requested the money as part of a spending bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democratic appropriators, however, left it out of the bill being circulated Monday amongst House Appropriations Committee staff.

The GOP has been strongly critizing Obama for rushing to keep a campaign promise to close the prison camp in Cuba without having a plan for what to dow ith the 240 terrorism suspects that are currently being held on the island.

Lawmakers from both parties are oppoosed to bringing the prisoners to their states, and a number of foreign countries are also opposed to taking the prisoners. The White House has yet to announce where it intends to move detainees once the prison camp is closed, which has been the major issue of contention for many.

Senate Democrats have not come out strong in supporting the use of the war-spending bill to close the prison, which serves as a strong signal that the House appropriators move could kill the funding in the bill. If that is the case, the administration could still try to move forward with the President's promise to close the camp by January 2010 and seek funding through another supplemental spending bill.