was a secret military mission in which disclosure of the mission could put into jeopardy not just the life of Sergeant Bergdahl but also the lives of the American servicemen who were involved in the mission, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday. So discretion on this matter was important. However, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon of California called such reasoning for not notifying Congress absurd. Nothing in the law requires the Secretary of Defense to disclose the physical details of the transfer, said McKeon, a Republican. They are merely required to notify us in a classified manner that a transfer will take place, and of the conditions set to prevent a terrorist from re-entering the fight. Boehner noted that he was briefed as early as six months before another significant and secret military mission -- the 2011 raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. I was given a heads-up several days before the bin Laden mission, Boehner said. So this idea that they could n't trust us to not leak things is just not true. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate from West Virginia known for criticizing the administration at times, said his main concern was the release of five Taliban figures who could return to the battlefield against U.S forces and interests. Who was swapped for Bergdahl ? Congressman: Deal gives no guaranteeTaliban figures