WASHINGTON – House Democrats on Thursday repelled a Republican effort to block transfer of the Guantanamo Bay detainees to the U.S., handing President Barack Obama a partial victory in his effort to close the prison.

Instead, by a 224-193 vote, the House stood by a Democratic plan to allow suspected enemy combatants held at the controversial facility in Cuba to be shipped to U.S. soil — but only to be prosecuted for their suspected crimes.

The Guantanamo restrictions were attached by House-Senate negotiators on a $42.8 billion homeland security appropriations bill. The measure subsequently passed by a 307-114 vote. It next goes to the Senate for a final vote that could come as early as next week...