[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1338 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1338

 To provide for the designation of an Assistant Secretary of State for 
                  Victims of International Terrorism.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2001

 Mr. Bentsen introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for the designation of an Assistant Secretary of State for 
                  Victims of International Terrorism.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR VICTIMS OF INTERNATIONAL 
              TERRORISM.

    (a) Designation of Position.--The Secretary of State shall 
designate one of the Assistant Secretaries of State authorized by 
section 1(c)(1) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 
(22 U.S.C. 2651a(c)(1)) as the Assistant Secretary of State for Victims 
of International Terrorism.
    (b) Directive Governing the Assistant Secretary of State.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall issue a 
        directive governing the position of the Assistant Secretary.
            (2) Elements of the directive.--The directive issued under 
        paragraph (1) shall set forth, consistent with this section--
                    (A) the duties of the Assistant Secretary;
                    (B) the relationships between the Assistant 
                Secretary and other officials of the Department of 
                State;
                    (C) any delegation of authority from the Secretary 
                of State to the Assistant Secretary; and
                    (D) such matters as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.
    (c) Duties.--
            (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall have as his 
        or her principal responsibility the overall supervision 
        (including oversight of policy and resources) within the 
        Department of State of all matters relating to American victims 
        of international terrorism and efforts to bring international 
        terrorists to justice.
            (2) Participation of the assistant secretary.--
                    (A) Primary role.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Assistant Secretary, or 
                a designee, shall participate in all interagency groups 
                or organizations within the executive branch of 
                Government, particulary the Department of Justice, that 
                assess, analyze, or review United States planned or 
                ongoing policies, programs, or actions that have a 
                direct bearing on efforts to bring international 
                terrorists to justice for actions affecting Americans 
                abroad, including interagency committees concerned with 
                international terrorism and counter-terrorism.
                    (B) Requirement for designation.--Subparagraph (A) 
                shall not apply to groups or organizations on which the 
                Secretary of State or the Undersecretary of State for 
                Arms Control and International Security sits, unless 
                such official designates the Assistant Secretary to 
                attend in his stead.
                    (C) National security limitation.--
                            (i) Waiver by president.--The President may 
                        waive the provisions of subparagraph (A) if 
                        inclusion of the Assistant Secretary would not 
                        be in the national security interests of the 
                        United States.
                            (ii) Waiver by others.--With respect to an 
                        interagency group or organization, or meeting 
                        thereof, working with exceptionally sensitive 
                        information contained in compartments under the 
                        control of the Director of Central Intelligence 
                        or the Secretary of Defense, such Director or 
                        Secretary, as the case may be, may waive the 
                        provision of subparagraph (A) if inclusion of 
                        the Assistant Secretary would not be in the 
                        national security interests of the United 
                        States.
                            (iii) Transmission of waiver to congress.--
                        Any waiver of participation under clause (i) or 
                        (ii) shall be transmitted in writing to the 
                        appropriate committees of Congress.
            (3) Relationship to the criminal justice community.--The 
        Assistant Secretary shall be the principal policy community 
        representative to the criminal justice community on 
        international terrorism affecting Americans abroad.
            (4) Reporting responsibilities.--The Assistant Secretary 
        shall have responsibility within the Department of State for--
                    (A) the report required pursuant to section 2; and
                    (B) other reports being prepared by the Department 
                of State as of the date of enactment of this Act 
                relating to international terrorism affecting Americans 
                abroad.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AFFECTING AMERICANS 
              ABROAD.

    The Secretary of State shall transmit to the Congress annually a 
report on international terrorism affecting Americans abroad and United 
States efforts to bring to justice international terrorists for actions 
affecting Americans abroad. The report may be submitted in classified 
and unclassified form and shall include the following information:
            (1) The number of Americans kidnapped, killed, and 
        otherwise directly affected by the actions of international 
        terrorists.
            (2) The actions of the Departments of State and Justice to 
        obtain justice for American victims of international terrorism.
            (3) A list of known international terrorists.
            (4) Recommendations for legislative and other actions to 
        bring individual terrorists to justice in the United States.
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