1996 Congressional Debate
General Debate
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On January 24, Congressman Weldon described
his recent trip to Russia and his discussions with key Russian leaders
on current issues of concern to both countries.
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Senator Cohen reintroduced the Economic Espionage
Act of 1995 and Senator Johnston introduced the Electricity
Competition Act of 1996 on January 25.
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Representative Owens addressed some major problems
of American budget allocations on January 30.
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Senators Kohl and Specter commented on the need for passing both the
Economic Espionage Act of 1996 and the Economic Security Act of 1996,
legislation they co-sponsored, to ensure the national security of economic
proprietary information on February 1.
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The FBI issued a report on the Communications
Assistance for Law Enforcement Act to Senator Leahy on February 7
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Representative Owens challenged the coventional
wisdom in Washington and urged change on February 27.
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Dr. Ariel Cohen, the Salvatori Fellow in Russian
and Eurasian Studies at the Heritage Foundation, presented the state of
affairs in Russia and implications for American foreign policy on February
27.
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On March 13, McConnell and others proposed Amendment
No. 3480 that would make a further downpayment toward a balanced budget.
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Introduction of amendments concerning appropriations
for Fiscal Year 1996 for the President, the Agency for International
Development and assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States occurred
on March 29.
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President Clinton sent a veto message concerning the Foreign
Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1996 and 1997 on April 15.
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On April 17, Senator Spector proposed legislation to create a commission
to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
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Representative Owens argued on April 24 that
the budget of the U.S. should not benefit only the rich and powerful but
should instead take care of the entire American population.
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Representatives Bill Richardson condemns cuts
to the international affairs budget while praising the work of the American
Diplomatic Corps on April 30.
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Referred executive communications as taken from
the Speaker's table of May 10.
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Discussion on H.R. 3107, the Iran and Libya Sanctions
Act of 1996 which mandates sanctions on persons making investments
that would enhance the ability of Iran to explore for, extract, refine,
or transport by pipeline petroleum resources occurred on June 18.
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Senator Cohen endorsed the nomination of Mr. Keith
R. Hall to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space on June
20.
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Amendment #4373 which advocated "to place a
condition on the authority of the Secretary of the Navy to dispose of certain
tugboats to the Northeast Wisconsin Railroad Transportation Commission"
and Amendment #4374 whose intent was to "clarify
the definition of the term 'National Security System' for purposes of the
Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 were introduced on
June 27.
Bosnia
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Senator Robb urged on February 7 that foreign
volunteer soldiers, particularly those from Iran, be expelled from Bosnia
in order to permit the U.S. led effort to bring peace to that nation.
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Although war conditions will not resume in Bosnia
while NATO troops are still stationed in the area, to avoid future conflict
and to encourage economic regrowth, vast aid must be targeted at the war-torn
state, the Pentagon reported on April 17.
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Senator Dole called for investigation of Iranian
arm sales to Bosnia on April 17.
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On April 19, Senator Kerrey advocated the bipartisan Select
Committee on Intelligence's ability to investigate U.S. acquiescence
to Iranian arms shipments to Bosnia.
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On April 25, Senator Cox urged investigation
into Clinton's changed stance on the arms embargo in Bosnia.
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House debate on the formation of a Select Subcommittee
within the Committee on International Relations to Investigate the
role of the United States in Iranian Arms Transfers to Croatia and Bosnia
took place on May 8.
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What the "Vote on the Previous Question" regarding
the formation of a Select Subcommittee to Investigate the role of the United
States in Iranian Arms Transfers to Croatia and Bosnia really means.
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Floor Procedure in the 104th Congress 1st Session;
Compiled by the Rules Committee Democrats.
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Vote on the "Previous Question" on the formation
of a Select Subcommittee to Investigate the role of the United States in
Iranian Arms Transfers to Croatia and Bosnia.
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On May 9, Senator Lieberman commented that the
Clinton administration acted admirably in allowing arms, supplied by Islamic
countries, to pass through Croatia for the ultimate use of the Bosnian
army.
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The House Investigated Iranian Arms Shipments
to Bosnia on May 14.
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On June 11, Representative Hamilton requested
and received information on the U.S. decision to take no position in response
to the Croatian Government's request for our views on its serving as the
channel for third-country arms shipments to Bosnia.
South-East Asia
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Senator Thomas discussed the current state of China-Taiwan
relations and how the U.S. should respond to the enmity existing between
China and Taiwan on January 26.
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Chinese sale of 5,000 ring magnets to Pakistan
should invoke severe US sanctions under international nuclear non-proliferation
agreements, argued Senator Pressler on February 7.
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On February 9, Senator Thomas addressed the problems inherent in China's
decision to transfer nuclear technology to third
world countries and requested that the Clinton administration take
a harder-line with China in light of their conduct.
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China is increasing nuclear weapons stockpiles
and encouraging nuclear weapons proliferation in South Asia aided by U.S.
reluctance to impose sanctions, Representative Fowler revealed on March
20.
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On March 21, Representative Pallone commented
on how 'providing weapons to Pakistan would be a grave error that would
threaten the stability of South Asia, international nuclear nonproliferation
and the interests and prestige of the United States'.
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In order to achieve Peace and Security in South
Asia, the United States must enforce its nuclear non-proliferation
policy and thus end the transfer of US military technology to Pakistan,
argued Senator Pressler on March 21.
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Senator Pressler urged Congress on June 12 to end authorization for assistance
to Pakistan based on Pakistani possession of
Chinese M-11 missiles.
Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996
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H.R. 3107, the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 was debated on June
18. Portions of the debate included:
Terrorism
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Representative Traficant stated on March 14 that we need to discover the
truth behind the destruction of Pan Am 103 in
order to help stop terrorism.
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S.735 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty
Act of 1996 FINAL VERSION PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES
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CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 735, ANTITERRORISM
AND EFFECTIVE DEATH PENALTY ACT OF 1996 -- HON. LOUIS STOKES (Extension
of Remarks - April 19, 1996)
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Senate discussion of the Conference Report of the ended with a successful
motion to recommit the bill to the Conference for more discussion on April
16:
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To stop terrorism, Taggants should be used to
trace the origins of explosives, and writers of publications such as the
Terrorist Handbook must be prosecuted, argued
Senator Feinstein.
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Habeus Corpus laws must be reformed to cease
the endless appeals process utilized by convicted murderers waiting on
death row.
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Future events similar to the bombing of Oklahoma
City must be prevented through passage of the Terrorism Prevention
Act.
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Senator Faircloth called for a reform of Death Penalty
legislation.
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The Terrorism Prevention Act should be recommitted to the Conference Committee
in order to present the strongest bill possible.
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The military should be given the funding and authority to begin training
police and law enforcement officials to deal with Chemical
and Biological Weapons and a narrowly defined exception should be made
to the Posse Comitatus Act to permit the military to deal with situations
involving Chemical and Biological Weapons which ordinary law enforcement
officials can not.
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The flawed Habeus Corpus system must be reformed,
argued Senator Gorton.
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Senator Biden presented a motion to recommit the bill to the Conference
Committee and a successful vote to lay the motion
on the table took place.
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Senate Discussion on the Terrorism Prevention Act continued on April 17,
covering issues such as: the granting of political and religious asylum,
the creation of a 5-year statute of limitations for making a bomb, a sawed-off
shotgun, or a silencer, and the use of multipoint wiretaps.
Declassification of Intelligence
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Senate Resolution 256 which calls for the production
of records related to the Zona Rosa massacre in El Salvador in 1985 was
discussed on May 23.
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Senate Resolution 256 regarding the production of
records regarding the Zona Rosa massacre was agreed to on May 23.
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Representative John Conyers demanded the return of seized documents to
Haiti on May 24.
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On June 24, Representative Furse urged declassification of intelligence
concerning human rights violations in Honduras
in the 1980s.
War on Drugs
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Senator Inhofe negatively commented on the Clinton
administration's policy on the war on drugs, peacemaking and defending
America on January 25.
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Representative Mica spoke on March 14 on how the Clinton administration
has failed to place enough emphasis on fighting the
war on drugs.
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Representative Mica commented on the Clinton administration's new policy
relating to the national drug control strategy
on April 30.
Intelligence Reform Legislation
House FY97 Intelligence Authorization Bill
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Classified materials accompanying H.R. 3259,
the FY97 Intelligence Authorization Bill, were made accessible to members
of Congress on May 15.
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On May 16, amendments to H.R. 2594 and 3259
were proposed.
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More amendments to H.R. 3259 were proposed on
May 20.
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Still more amendments to H.R. 3259 were suggested
on May 21.
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Provisions for consideration of H.R.3259 took
place on May 21.
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The House began consideration and debate of
H.R.3259 on May 22.
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The text of the committee amendment to H.R.
3259 was presented on May 22. Further amendments (and resulting debate)
to H.R. 3259 included:
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The McCollum amendment would insert Section
306 at the end of title III which would enforce the requirement to protect
the identities of undercover intelligence officers, agents, informants,
and sources.
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The Dicks amendment would authorize an additional
$22 million for the endurance unmanned aerial vehicle known as Darkstar.
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The Combest amendment to the Dicks amendment
would require that the Secretary of Defense submit a detailed cost analysis
before expending any funds.
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The Weldon amendment would restore significant
cuts that were made in the bill to the Environmental Intelligence Applications
Program, formerly known as the Environmental Task Force.
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The Richardson amendment to prohibit the use
of journalists as agents or assets of the Intelligence Community was supported
by the following articles from the media:
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The Murtha amendment to the Richardson amendment
would assure that in extreme, rare circumstances the President could waive
the law so that a journalist could be used to serve the best interests
of the country during acts of terrorism.
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The Sanders amendment would provide a limitation
on amounts authorized to be appropriated to not more than 90 percent of
the FY 1996 authorization.
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The Traficant amendment would require that any
equipment or products authorized to be purchased with financial assistance
provided under this Act be American-made equipment and products.
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The Brownback amendment would compel that no
United States intelligence information may be provided to the United Nations
or any organization affiliated with the United Nations unless the President
certifies that procedures for protecting intelligence sources and methods
are in place.
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The Combest substitute amendment to replace
the Brownback amendment would permit the President to provide intelligence
information to the United Nations if it is in the national security interests
of the United States to do so.
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The Conyers amendment would essentially declassify
the aggregate figure of the intelligence budget.
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The Combest amendment to Section 401 provides
the opportunity for the Central Intelligence Agency to execute multiyear
leasing authority.
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The Combest amendment to Section 402 would ensure
that the CIA makes only one payment (not two) to the civil service retirement
and disability fund for those agency employees who take an early retirement
or resign and receive separation incentives in fiscal year 1998 and 1999.
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The Combest amendment to Section 303 provides
the Director of Central Intelligence the authority to transfer funds authorized
for automatic declassification of records over 25 years old within the
national foreign intelligence community.
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The Combest amendment to add a section known as Title
VI would correct an oversight in the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions
and Appropriations Act of 1996 by including provisions for authorization
of expenditure of funds.
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Postponed vote on the Richardson amendment.
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Postponed vote on the Sanders amendment.
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Postponed vote on the Conyers amendment.
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The Frank amendment would hold this year's authorization
at the current spending level, a 4.9 percent reduction from the authorized
figure.
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More debate in the House over Amendments to
the Intelligence Authorization Act occurred on May 22.
Senate FY97 Intelligence Authorization Bill
House FY97 Defense Authorization Bill
Senate FY97 Defense Authorization Bill
FY97 Defense Authorization Conference
Whitehouse Security
Tributes
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Representative Frank R. Wolf paid tribute to
the late General Dan Graham in presenting an article that conveys some
of the wonderful contributions the General engaged in for the purpose of
national security on January 5.
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Congressman Payne pays tribute to the lifetime achievements of
Barbara Jordan on January 24.
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Representative Michael Bilirakis paid tribute to retiring
Major General Earl G. Peck, USAF on January 25.
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On January 30, Senator Akaka paid tribute to the heroic contributions made
by Richard Sakakida in the Philippines during
World War II.
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One of the leading architects of the Strategic Defense Initiative, General
D.O. Graham was remembered by members of Congress on February 1.
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Senator Specter payid tribute to Vice Admiral J.M.
(Mike) McConnell occassion of his retirement on February 29.
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Senator Glenn paid tribute to Col. Fred E. Kishler,
Jr., the former director of the General Defense Intelligence Program,
on March 25.
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The Honorable Larry Combest paid tribute to Joanne
O'Rourke Isham on March 26.
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The Honorable Bud Schuster paid tribute to William
L. Mosebey. Jr. as he received the Central Intelligence Agency's Distinguished
Intelligence Medal on March 27.
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On March 28, the Honorable Larry Combest recognized the dedication, public
service, and patriotism of Lt. Col. William John
Nichols, U.S. Air Force, as he retired.
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Representative Hoyer recognized the great effort of
volunteers and paid personnel involved in the search for William E.
Colby on May 8.
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On May 10, the Honorable Benjamin A. Gilman paid tribute to the heroism
of William E. Colby.
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Representative Barr remembered Former CIA Director William
Colby on May 14.
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On May 23, Senator Bob Dole and Representative Rick Lazio paid tribute
to those Americans who served in the Cold War.
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On June 12, Senator Sarbanes related the tributes paid on Foreign
Service Day to Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and members of the U.S.
Foreign Service who have recently lost their lives.
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