The United States is to return two Algerians detained at the Guantanamo Bay military prison to their homeland, the White House says.
In a statement, the US administration said the transfer was in line with its plan to eventually close the facility, and urged US lawmakers to help it do so.
White House spokesman Jay Carney says the Pentagon is certifying its plans to Congress and will consult with lawmakers.
He says the Obama administration wants Congress to support Obama's efforts to close the prison by lifting restrictions on who can be transferred back to their home countries.
President Barack Obama has stepped up the pressure to close the prison. That effort has been driven in part by his revised counterterrorism strategy and the stain of the government force-feeding Guantanamo prisoners on hunger strikes to prevent them from starving to death.
