[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 38 (Friday, March 21, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               H.R. 1143

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                          HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 21, 1997

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I introduced a private bill on 
behalf of Ms. Mary Mertz, a constituent and employee of the U.S. State 
Department. In 1988, Ms. Mertz received a reimbursement check for 
moving expenses, as she had just transferred to a new foreign post. Ms. 
Mertz endorsed the check for deposit only and enclosed it in a 
diplomatic pouch for deposit in her credit union in the United States.
  In nearly any other circumstance, this would be the end of the story. 
In this case, the diplomatic pouch arrived at its destination in the 
United States, but Ms. Mertz's check was no longer in the pouch. It 
remains unknown to this day how the pouch was tampered with, or how the 
check was removed. Ms. Mertz rightfully expected the pouch to be a safe 
means of depositing her payment to her bank.
  After some time the check was traced, for if it had been merely lost 
it could have been canceled and replaced. It turns out the check was 
falsely deposited in a foreign bank, and by the time this was 
discovered the bank had gone out of business with no successor named 
for its debt. There was no recourse against this foreign institution, 
no recourse against the State Department for losing the check, no 
recourse against the Treasury which had paid once, albeit incorrectly, 
on that check. After years of research and contact with her 
representatives in Congress, it is clear there is no recourse under 
current law for Ms. Mertz. It is equally clear that the last known 
location of the check was in U.S. Government possession, and no 
explanation has been offered as to how this check ended up in the hands 
of the criminals who illegally deposited it in a foreign institution.
  Since all other avenues of recourse have been attempted and my 
constituent has not recovered her funds, I introduced this legislation 
for relief to address these issues and allow Ms. Mertz to receive the 
reimbursement she is due.

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