[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5886 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5886

 To restrict the diplomatic travel of officials and representatives of 
          state sponsors of terrorism, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 24, 2008

Mr. Broun of Georgia (for himself, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Akin, Mr. Manzullo, 
    Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Goode, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. 
   Doolittle, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Gingrey, Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, Mr. 
 Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. Kline of Minnesota, Mr. Sessions, 
and Mr. Sali) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To restrict the diplomatic travel of officials and representatives of 
          state sponsors of terrorism, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Limiting the Intrusive Miles of 
International Terrorist Sponsors Act of 2008'' or the ``LIMITS Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism 
        represent a threat to the national security of the United 
        States.
            (2) The United States is obligated to permit officials and 
        other representatives of countries designated as state sponsors 
        of terrorism to travel to New York City to attend meetings and 
        conduct official business at the United Nations.
            (3) Individuals from countries not otherwise legally 
        permitted to travel to the United States are given visas for 
        delegates and representatives to the United Nations and other 
        related diplomatic purposes.
            (4) In connection with the September 2007 meeting of the 
        United Nations General Assembly, 21 delegates from Cuba, 144 
        delegates from Iran, 6 delegates from North Korea, 7 delegates 
        from Syria, and 16 delegates from Sudan were issued visas by 
        the Department of State for travel to New York City.
            (5) These delegates and representatives are in addition to 
        the number of domestically assigned nationals assigned to the 
        United States.
            (6) Between 2002 and 2007, the Department of State issued, 
        with full diplomatic immunity, 1823 visas to delegates and 
        representatives from Cuba, 2782 visas to delegates and 
        representatives from Iran, 132 visas to delegates and 
        representatives from North Korea, 1242 visas to delegates and 
        representatives from Sudan, and 706 visas to delegates and 
        representatives from Syria.
            (7) The delegates and representatives from Iran, North 
        Korea, and Cuba, which are all state sponsors of terrorism, are 
        currently permitted to travel up to 25 miles from Columbus 
        Circle in New York City for United Nations activities, far 
        beyond the necessary working vicinity of the United Nations, 
        giving them access not only to Manhattan, but to surrounding 
        cities and States.
            (8) The delegates and representatives from Syria and Sudan, 
        both state sponsors of terrorism, are currently permitted to 
        travel throughout the United States without any mileage 
        restrictions.
            (9) In June 2002, November 2003, and June 2004, Iranian 
        diplomatic personnel from the Iranian Mission to the United 
        Nations were caught photographing and videotaping the New York 
        City subway and other popular landmarks.
            (10) The Department of State expelled these individuals for 
        being engaged in activities not consistent with their duties.
            (11) Issuing approximately 6685 visas over the past 5 years 
        to personnel from countries designated as state sponsors of 
        terrorism, without proper boundaries, creates a major security 
        vulnerability within the United States.
            (12) The presence of hundreds of individuals with 
        diplomatic immunity from countries designated as state sponsors 
        of terrorism is overwhelming United States counterterrorism and 
        intelligence resources.
            (13) The United States has an obligation to protect the 
        American people against such threats.

SEC. 3. RESTRICTION ON DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL OF OFFICIALS AND 
              REPRESENTATIVES OF STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and 
except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), the President shall 
restrict to the designated area the travel of officials and 
representatives of countries that are designated as state sponsors of 
terrorism who are visiting the United Nations headquarters complex in 
connection with official business at the United Nations headquarters 
complex.
    (b) Waiver.--The President may waive the travel restriction 
described in subsection (a) if the President--
            (1) determines that it is in the interest of national 
        defense of the United States to do so; and
            (2) submits to Congress a report that contains the reasons 
        for such determination.
    (c) Exceptions.--
            (1) Ingress and egress.--For purposes of this section, the 
        restriction on travel referred to in subsection (a) shall not 
        include travel to and from John F. Kennedy International 
        Airport or LaGuardia Airport to the designated area in 
        connection with meetings at the United Nations headquarters 
        complex. Travel between the designated area and such airports 
        shall be direct and without any intervening stops.
            (2) Accommodations.--For purposes of this section, the 
        restriction on travel referred to in subsection (a) shall not 
        include travel to and from any lodgings or other hotel 
        accommodations in which an official or representative is 
        staying if such lodging or other hotel accommodation is within 
        the designated area. Such permissible travel within the 
        designated area may be made only by land.
            (3) Medical emergencies.--For purposes of this section, the 
        restriction on travel referred to in subsection (a) shall not 
        include travel to and from New York University medical center 
        or Bellevue Hospital Center for emergency medical care.
    (d) Rules of Construction.--
            (1) On travel.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
        prohibit the placement of additional restrictions by the City 
        of New York, the State of New York, or the law enforcement 
        agencies of such City or State on the travel within the 
        designated area of officials and representatives of countries 
        that are designated as state sponsors of terrorism.
            (2) Other restrictions.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
        construed to prohibit the placement by the President of 
        additional restrictions on officials and representatives of 
        countries that are designated as state sponsors or terrorism.
    (e) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect on the date that is 
60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (f) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Designated area.--The term ``designated area'' means an 
        area not greater than one-half of one mile (0.5 miles) in any 
        direction on the island of Manhattan from the United Nations 
        headquarters complex, but does not include any waterway.
            (2) State sponsor of terrorism.--The term ``state sponsor 
        of terrorism'' means a country the government of which has been 
        determined by the Secretary of State, for purposes of section 
        6(j) of the Export Administration Act of 1979, section 620A of 
        the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, section 40 of the Arms 
        Export Control Act, or other provision of law, is a government 
        that has repeatedly provided support for acts of international 
        terrorism.
            (3) United nations headquarters complex.--The term ``United 
        Nations headquarters complex'' means the complex of United 
        Nations buildings located in the City of New York, on First 
        Avenue between 42nd Street and 48th Street, with the street 
        address of 760 United Nations Plaza.
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