[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 524 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 524

 Condemning the unauthorized disclosure and publication of classified 
information about the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, the National 
   Security Agency's Terrorist Surveillance Program, and other vital 
                      counter-terrorism programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 29, 2006

   Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Roberts) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning the unauthorized disclosure and publication of classified 
information about the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, the National 
   Security Agency's Terrorist Surveillance Program, and other vital 
                      counter-terrorism programs.

Whereas on June 22, 2006, news organizations publicly disclosed the existence of 
        an ongoing, highly classified national security program to track 
        terrorists' financial transactions, known formally as the ``Terrorist 
        Finance Tracking Program'';
Whereas the President condemned the unauthorized leak and subsequent publication 
        in the strongest possible terms, calling those acts ``disgraceful'' and 
        explaining that public disclosure of the Terrorist Finance Tracking 
        Program ``does great harm to the United States of America'';
Whereas the Secretary of the Treasury noted that this unauthorized leak of 
        classified information and subsequent publication ``undermined a highly 
        successful counter-terrorism program and alerted terrorists to the 
        methods and sources used to track their money trails'';
Whereas similar to the leaks and public disclosure of the National Security 
        Agency's Terrorist Surveillance Program, the disclosure of the Terrorist 
        Finance Tracking Program puts America's terrorist enemies on notice of 
        tactics used to hunt them down and makes defending against further 
        terrorist attacks more difficult;
Whereas Administration officials and the co-chairmen of the 9/11 Commission (a 
        Democrat and a Republican) urged news organizations to refrain from 
        publicly disclosing the existence of the Terrorist Finance Tracking 
        Program because of the probable harm to America's national security;
Whereas there have been no credible allegations of abuse or infringements on 
        civil liberties in the execution of the Terrorist Finance Tracking 
        Program;
Whereas the 9/11 Commission in its Final Report concluded that ``information 
        about terrorist money helps us to understand their networks, search 
        them, and disrupt their operations'';
Whereas the 9/11 Commission had given the Administration high marks in its 
        pursuit of terrorist-finance networks, and recommended that ``vigorous 
        efforts to track terrorist financing must remain front and center in 
        U.S. counter-terrorism efforts''; and
Whereas the United States must remain vigilant in its War on Terror: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the Senate joins the President in condemning the 
        damaging leaks and subsequent publication of vital national 
        security information about the Terrorist Finance Tracking 
        Program and the National Security Agency's Terrorist 
        Surveillance Program; and
            (2) it is the sense of the Senate that the Department of 
        Justice should vigorously and tirelessly investigate and 
        prosecute any and all persons responsible for the unauthorized 
        disclosure to news organizations of the Terrorist Finance 
        Tracking Program, the National Security Agency's Terrorist 
        Surveillance Program, and other vital counter-terrorism 
        programs.
                                 <all>