By Thomas McKinless

Shortly after the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters he expects President Barack Obama to sign the amended bill when it reaches his desk. Earnest noted that despite the provisions in the bill that bar the transfer of detainees from the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the administration still intends to submit a plan for closing the prison to Congress. “I don’t think this has any material impact on our ability to put together and send to Congress a thoughtful and carefully considered plan for closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay, and a plan that we believe merits the strong support of Democrats and Republicans,” Earnest said.