[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 167 (Thursday, October 26, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2045-E2046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         H.R. 2541, DIPLOMATIC SECURITY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 1995

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to 
support the activities of a key bureau within the Department of State--
the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. This is the Bureau that is tasked 
among other things with maintaining the security of the lives of 
American diplomatic personnel overseas.
  We have been repeatedly reminded that the world is still a very 
dangerous place. My bill will help strengthen America's defenses 
against international terrorism targeted against individuals or 
governments, and will improve our ability to battle this deadly and 
cowardly scourge.
  Recently, we have witnessed several attacks on American personnel and 
facilities; including the tragic death of two innocent American 
personnel viciously gunned down while in a United States diplomatic van 
on the streets of Karachi, Pakistan. There was also the recent grenade 
attack on the United States embassy in Moscow. It is still an unsafe 
world for American personnel and facilities abroad.
  The Diplomatic Security Bureau is required to provide a secure 
environment for the conduct of American diplomacy worldwide. Americans 
are sent to distant and sometimes unfriendly locations around the world 
to carry out our foreign policy goals. It is our duty to be sure that 
the best security is provided to these Americans and other nationals, 
who help carry out and implement our foreign policy abroad.
  Unfortunately, there has long been precious little enthusiasm for 
many of these difficult, and often undiplomatic security type functions 
and safety efforts within some parts of our State Department. I fear 
that in the competition for resources, security of all kinds is getting 
short changed today.
  The bill, I am introducing today, will help to provide greater 
leadership and professionalism within the Diplomatic Security Bureau. 
This reform is important given the extent of responsibilities assigned 
to this bureau.
  In addition to protection of personnel assigned to U.S. diplomatic 
missions abroad, the Bureau provides physical protection for Department 
of State office and residential facilities, communications, and 
information systems; prevents the penetration of diplomatic facilities 
by foreign intelligence efforts, and certifies construction security 
procedures.
  Diplomatic Security also conducts personnel background investigations 
for security clearances, investigates visa and passport fraud, protects 
resident and visiting foreign dignitaries, and makes semiannual 
assessments of the threat levels of overseas posts for terrorism, 
crime, human intelligence, and technical attacks on facilities.
  My bill sets out new professional statutory qualifications for the 
Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security. This individual 
is in charge of the important day to day leadership in the State 
Department protecting our personnel and facilities abroad, as well as a 
key border security function, dealing with vital travel and entry 
documents. The bill also insures the Bureau's permanent existence in 
any possible downgrading scheme.
  The Diplomatic Security Bureau, besides these many responsibilities I 
noted, also investigates passport and visa fraud, which exists on a 
massive scale today. This fraud seriously threatens our internal 
security by facilitating the often undetected and easy entry into our 
Nation of international terrorists, drug traffickers, and other 
unsavory criminal elements.
  The growing problem with visa and passport fraud requires 
professional law enforcement leadership and experience to help bring 
about successful prosecute of these criminal offenses in our Federal 
courts. I was pleased last year to take the lead in the crime bill that 
raised the criminal penalties for these offenses, especially if done to 
facilitate terrorism, or drug trafficking.
  In addition, we must continue to adhere to high standards for 
construction and building security at the Diplomatic Security Bureau. 
We can not afford to have another Moscow Embassy episode that has cost 
the country in terms of expenditures required to rebuild this building 
and in terms of national security concerns.
  On June 29, 1995, the International Relations Committee held 
oversight hearings on many of these security problems, including the 
recent attacks on American personnel overseas in both Karachi, 
Pakistan, and on our Ambassador in Burundi.
  We identified the problem of the Ambassador's driver in Burundi, who 
because of budget cuts and resource restraints, did not receive the 
needed defensive driving training as requested earlier out of concern 
for safety by our Embassy in Bujumbura.
  In both instances in Pakistan and Burundi, the embassy vehicle 
drivers froze when the attacks came, and were not adequately trained to 
possibly help avoid injury to our United States personnel under 
transport. While such training would not have guaranteed successful 
avoidance, its omission, surely did not help matters.
  It was plainly evident from those oversight proceedings that in the 
last few years the Diplomatic Security Bureau has taken far too deep, 
and disproportionate cuts as part of the State Department's own 
management initiated resource reductions. The State Department has 
started to cut into the very bone marrow of its own vital safety and 
security operations.
  The cuts in staff, resources, building and construction security, and 
other personnel, security training, and/or contract related security 
activities, such as crisis management training, maybe today needlessly 
endangering the safety of our personnel, facilities, and overall 
national security abroad.
  This is a cause serious concern, which cannot be ignored, especially 
today when we are considering increased American presence in places 
like Bosnia, and in light of the rise of radical religiously motivated 
terrorism, often directed at Americans and our interests. Let us hope 
we have not forgotten the lessons of Beirut in the early 1980's when 
our Embassy and other facilities abroad faced the deadly terrorist 
bombs and attacks.
  Congress must help put an end to this unacceptable downward slide in 
diplomatic security at the U.S. State Department. We must help restore 
it to the priority status it deserves. After all, these are issues of 
vital national interest. In addition, we do a disservice to those 
Americans we send abroad to conduct our foreign policy, when we neglect 
their very security, and personal safety.
  Disproportionate cuts in our diplomatic security efforts in the last 
few years, have been largely accepted without serious protest. The 
current incumbent in the post of Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic 
Security has no real formal background in law enforcement, the 
intelligence services, or the security field.
  Professional qualifications related to this important and high level 
position within the State Department are not now required of any 
incumbent who holds, or will hold, that top security position in the 
State Department. Therein lies the potential danger to our national 
security.
  My bill, helps correct this situation. This Assistant Secretary for 
Diplomatic Security position should be more than a ticket punch in the 
foreign service on the way up the career ladder at our State 
Department.
  It is vital, especially in the current climate of reduced budgets and 
cutbacks in the State Department, that the Assistant Secretary for 
Diplomatic Security have the relevant professional law enforcement, 
intelligence, and/or security qualifications and experience for this 
important job.
  Professional qualifications that are essential, in order that he or 
she can carry on the fight for adequate resources and respect in a even 
more informed, and serious manner, befitting the threat to our national 
security, and do so, without fear or favor.
  The bill, I introduce today, will require professional related 
qualifications hereafter for anyone appointed Assistant Secretary of 
Diplomatic Security, and charged with that important responsibility 
abroad in today's ever dangerous and hostile world.
  This reform embodied in my bill (H.R. 2541) is in America's vital 
interest.
  I ask that the full text of the bill be printed hereafter:

                                H.R. --

     SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR 
                   DIPLOMATIC SECURITY.

       There shall be in the Department of State an Assistant 
     Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security who shall be 
     responsible to the Secretary of State for matters relating to 
     diplomatic security. The Assistant Secretary shall have 
     substantial professional qualifications in the field of law 
     enforcement, intelligence, or security and shall be appointed 
     and compensated as provided under section 1(c)(1) of the 
     State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956.
     
[[Page E2046]]


     A POINT-OF-LIGHT FOR ALL AMERICANS: NATALIE HELENE JACOBS CAVE

                                 ______


                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 1995

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege and pleasure to take 
note of an eminent constituent and model American who should serve as a 
great ``point-of-light'' for all--Mrs. Natalie Helene Jacobs Cave. 
After over 50 years of exemplary Federal service to America's veterans, 
Mrs. Cave is retiring.
  For 50 years, Mrs. Cave practices her profession as a certified 
social worker, beginning with a stint from 1945 to 1948 as a case 
worker at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Tuskegee, AL. It was 
here she met her future husband, Dr. Vernal G. Cave. In 1948, she 
transferred to what became the New York Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center, where she continued as a case worker. A year later, she 
and Dr. Cave, a noted dermatologist, married and settled in Brooklyn, 
NY, where they still reside. In 1959, she was promoted to assistant 
chief of social work and was put in charge of the department's 
outpatient service. For the past 14 years she has been chief of social 
service work.
  Mrs. Cave holds membership in a number of professional organizations, 
including the National Association of Social Workers, the National 
Association of Black Social Workers, the Society of Hospital Social 
Work Directors, and the National Social Welfare Forum.
  In addition, Mrs. Cave has led an active extracurricular life. Among 
other positions in the auxiliary of the National Medical Association, 
she was its national president, 1975-76. Her community activities 
include membership on the advisory board of the Public Affairs 
Committee, the Brooklyn Chapter of Links, Inc., the YWCA, the NAACP, 
the Kings County Medical Society Auxiliary, the Provident Medical 
Society Auxiliary, the American Medical Association Auxiliary, and the 
Black Community Council of Crown Heights. She is an active archousa of 
the Sigma Phi Pi fraternity, trustee of the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, 
board member of the United Nations Association of the USA, and an 
active and devoted member of various other social and civic 
organizations. She recalls her attendance at the 1963 march on 
Washington for civil rights as a pivotal event in her quest for social 
justice.
  This daughter of a Baptist minister, Rev. Frank Jacobs, and a school 
teacher, Mrs. Natalie Taylor Jacobs, was born in Norfolk, VA. Her 
parents instilled in her a belief in education, a love for people and a 
philosophy of purposeful living to help others. Mrs. Cave devoted her 
life to these concepts.
  She received her early education at the Alabama State Teachers 
College Laboratory School and in the public schools of Bridgeport, CT. 
In 1943, Helene graduated with honors from the preeminent Bennett 
College, commonly referred to as, ``the Vasser of the South,'' located 
in Greensboro, NC. Interested in helping people, she continued her 
formal education and graduated in 1944 with a master's degree in social 
work from the Atlanta University School of Social Work and pursued 
additional advance education courses at the University of Michigan 
School of Social Work.
  The family creed of devoting their lives to the enhancement of others 
is echoed by Mrs. Cave's two sisters and her brother. All three are 
former government administrators in people-oriented agencies. Mrs. 
Marie Jacobs Jones was employed by the Social Security Administration 
in Columbus, OH. Mr. Taylor Jacobs recently retired as manager of the 
Kalamazoo, MI Social Security office. Mrs. Frankie Jacobs Gillette 
served as division chief of the community service administration, 
region IX in San Francisco, CA.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that, along with her husband, 
Vernal, Helene Cave has always found time, despite her busy 
professional schedule, to contribute to the building of a stronger 
civic and empowerment infrastructure for the central Brooklyn 
community. The Caves have consistently supported elected officials who 
are advocates of greater citizen participation in decisionmaking. 
Leaders who refuse to compromise with oppression are always guaranteed 
the support of Vernal and Helene Cave.
  In administering to needs of our Nation's veterans and those of 
society at large, this gracious and empathetic lady was contributed 
admirably to making this a better world. It is, therefore, my great 
honor to bring to your attention a life of great accomplishment. I 
celebrate the much-deserved retirement of Mrs. Natalie Helene J. Cave, 
a person who, without reservation, deserves to be honored as a ``point-
of-light'' for all Americans.

                          ____________________