[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12401-S12402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         WAR CRIMES DISCLOSURE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to consideration of H.R. 1281, received from the House.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1281) to express the sense of the Congress 
     that it is the policy of the Congress that United States 
     Government agencies in possession of records about 
     individuals who are alleged to have committed Nazi war crimes 
     should make those records public.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
1281, the War Crimes Disclosure Act, which expresses the sense of 
Congress that Government agencies in possession of records documenting 
Nazi war crimes should declassify such records and release them to the 
public.
  Ideally, in a democracy, all government information belongs to the 
people, excepting such information as would be harmful to the body 
politic if made publicly available. Knowledge of wartime atrocities 
presents no threat to the American people. To the contrary, accurate 
information about the Nazi regime, and those who ruthlessly carried out 
its barbaric policies, can only serve to deepen our understanding of 
history's darkest chapter, and strengthen our resolve that it never be 
repeated.
  On August 2, 1996, I introduced the War Crimes Disclosure Act (S. 
2048), which would have amended the Freedom of Information Act to 
provide for disclosure of information relating to individuals who 
committed Nazi war crimes. This bill, cosponsored by Senators D'Amato 
and Dodd, is the Senate companion to a similar measure sponsored in the 
House of Representatives by my colleague from New York, the Honorable 
Carolyn Maloney.
  Inexplicably, that measure has met with some opposition and, due to 
the impending adjournment of Congress, we will not be able to adopt it 
in its original form. Nevertheless, with the passage of this amended 
legislation, Congress makes an important statement in support of public 
disclosure of documents relevant to Nazi war crimes. This is a first 
step. I do hope that we can revisit this issue in the 105th Congress.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
deemed read a third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and that any statements relating to

[[Page S12402]]

the bill be placed at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 1281) was deemed read the third time and passed.

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