[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S12044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 104-35

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the Inter-
American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad, (Treaty 
Document No. 104-35), transmitted to the Senate by the President on 
September 30, 1996; and ask that the treaty be considered as having 
been read the first time; that it be referred, with accompanying 
papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be 
printed; and that the President's message be printed in the Record.
  It is my understanding this has been cleared with the other side.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The message of the President is as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the Inter-American Convention on 
Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad, drawn up by the Committee on 
Juridical and Political Affairs within the Permanent Council of the 
Organization of American States (OAS) and composed of representatives 
of the Member States. The Convention was adopted and opened for 
signature at the twenty-third regular session of the General Assembly 
meeting in Managua, Nicaragua, on June 9, 1993, and signed on behalf of 
the United States at the OAS Headquarters in Washington on January 10, 
1995. The provisions of the Convention are explained in the report of 
the Department of State that accompanies this message.
  Although the United States is already a party to the multilateral 
Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, 
which entered into force for the United States, following Senate advice 
and consent to ratification, on July 1, 1985, only two other OAS Member 
States have become parties to that Convention. Ratification of the 
Inter-American Convention on Serving Criminal Sentences Abroad would 
help fill a void by providing a mechanism for the reciprocal transfer 
of persons incarcerated in prisons in OAS Member States, to permit 
those individuals to serve their sentences in their home countries. A 
multilateral prisoner transfer convention for the Americas would also 
reduce, if not eliminate, the need for the United States to negotiate 
additional bilateral prisoner transfer treaties with countries in the 
hemisphere.
  I recommend that the Senate promptly give its advice and consent to 
the ratification of this Convention, subject to an understanding and a 
reservation that are described in the accompanying State Department 
report.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, September 30, 1996.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Without objection, the morning hour will be deemed expired.

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