COMPREHENSIVE ANTITERRORISM ACT OF 1995 (House of Representatives - December 05, 1995)
[Page: H13976]
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Taylor of North Carolina). Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hyde] is recognized for 5 minutes.
- Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, today I am, along with my Judiciary Committee colleagues, Bill McCollum, Lamar Smith, and Bob Barr introducing a revised antiterrorism bill.
- On June 20, the Judiciary Committee favorably reported the Comprehensive Antiterrorism Act of 1995 (H.R. 1710). Since that date, concerns have been raised by a number of Members about certain provisions in H.R. 1710. Responding to these concerns, Bob Barr and I have developed a new compromise version of the bill. The new language responds to the concerns voiced by several Members, yet maintains the effectiveness of the bill to deter future terrorist acts. The new bill does the following:
- Requires the marking of plastic explosives to allow for more effective detection;
- Prohibits the possession, importation, and sale of nuclear materials;
- Prohibits foreign terrorist organizations from raising money in the United States;
- Prevents entry into the United States by members and representatives of foreign terrorist groups;
- Reforms asylum laws to stop their manipulation by foreign terrorists;
- Establishes a special deportation procedure for alien terrorists that satisfies due process and protects our national sovereignty;
- Encourages the development of a machine-readable visa and passport system;
- Authorizes an employer engaged in the business of providing private security services to investigate an employment applicant's legal status and his authorization to work;
- Authorizes lawsuits by Americans against foreign nations responsible for state-sponsored terrorist activity; and
- Provides for the expedited expulsion of illegal aliens from the United States.
- Importantly, the bill also:
- Adds Habeas Corpus reform provisions;
- Adds the Victim Restitution Act of 1995 (H.R. 665);
- Adds the Criminal Alien Deportation Improvements Act of 1995 (H.R. 668);
- Deletes the enhanced wiretap authorizations, including emergency wiretap expansion and roving wiretap modifications;
- Deletes the authorization of military involvement in civilian law enforcement situations;
- Deletes the overly broad definition of terrorism;
- Deletes funding for a domestic counterterrorism center and for additional FBI personnel; and finally,
- Deletes the 40-percent civil penalty surcharge intended to fund the Digital Telephony law.
- Important and significant changes have been made in this bill. The revised version deserves broad support. A `yes' vote on this legislation is a vote for a more secure America and the fight against crime.
- I urge your support for this important measure.
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