[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 137 (Tuesday, September 27, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 27, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
         BANNING THE USE OF UNITED STATES PASSPORTS IN LEBANON

  Mr. METZENBAUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 618, 
Senate Concurrent Resolution 74, a concurrent resolution concerning the 
ban on the use of United States passports in Lebanon; that the 
concurrent resolution and preamble be agreed to; the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; and that any statements 
thereon appear in the Record at the appropriate places as though read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  So the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 74) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 74

       Whereas, on January 26, 1987, the United States Department 
     of State issued a prohibition on the use of United States 
     passports in Lebanon, creating in effect a ban on travel to 
     Lebanon by United States citizens;
       Whereas the ban on travel to Lebanon was instituted during 
     a time of civil war, anarchy, and general lawlessness in 
     Lebanon, when the safety and well-being of United States 
     citizens were at particular risk as evidenced by the bombings 
     of the United States Marine barracks and the United States 
     Embassy in Beirut, in which a total of 258 United States 
     citizens were killed, as well as by the taking of United 
     States hostages by terrorists;
       Whereas the civil war in Lebanon ended in 1990 and the last 
     United States hostage held in Lebanon was freed on December 
     2, 1991;
       Whereas the security situation in Lebanon has improved 
     demonstrably since the end of the civil war;
       Whereas the United States returned its Ambassador to 
     Lebanon on November 28, 1990, and the United States maintains 
     an economic and military assistance program in Lebanon;
       Whereas it is estimated that more than 40,000 United States 
     citizens traveled safely to Lebanon in 1993 either in 
     defiance of the ban or under current United States 
     regulations which permit the use of passports by dual 
     Lebanese-United States nationals and in urgent humanitarian 
     cases;
       Whereas the Government of Lebanon has made considerable 
     progress in reasserting sovereignty and control over 
     significant portions of Lebanon despite the fact that the 
     Taif accords have yet to be fully implemented;
       Whereas the Lebanese Government has initiated a 10-year 
     $18,000,000,000 reconstruction effort, and in 1993 awarded 
     more than 100 contracts worth $2,400,000,000 to business 
     firms for development, reconstruction, and consulting 
     projects;
       Whereas the ban on the use of United States passports in 
     Lebanon creates a major impediment to United States firms 
     that wish to bid for contracts in Lebanon;
       Whereas it is in the United States national interest for 
     United States firms to participate in the reconstruction of 
     Lebanon, as United States participation will bring economic 
     benefit to the United States and help to create a stable and 
     sound infrastructure in Lebanon;
       Whereas the United States Secretary of State must give 
     paramount consideration to the safety and security of United 
     States citizens in regulating their travel abroad; and
       Whereas, in regulating the travel of United States citizens 
     abroad, the United States Secretary of State has a variety of 
     options, including instituting a travel advisory for 
     countries where United States citizens are deemed at risk or 
     have been attacked, as has been done for such countries as 
     Bosnia, Rwanda, Somalia, Haiti, Colombia, Peru, the 
     Philippines, and Turkey: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That--
       (1) in determining whether to restrict the use of United 
     States passports in any country, the Secretary of State 
     should apply consistent criteria;
       (2) in deciding whether to extend the ban on the use of 
     United States passports in Lebanon, the Secretary of State 
     should--
       (A) give paramount consideration to the need to ensure the 
     safety of United States citizens;
       (B) give full consideration to the improved security 
     situation in Lebanon, the effect of the ban on the 
     opportunities for United States businesses, and the impact of 
     the ban on United States interests in Lebanon and the Middle 
     East; and
       (C) give full consideration to whether United States 
     interests would be more effectively served by removing the 
     ban on the use of United States passports in Lebanon, and 
     instituting instead of a travel advisory for Lebanon; and
       (3) the Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of 
     this concurrent resolution to the Secretary of State.

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