[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 125 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S9633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 105-27

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following 
treaty transmitted to the Senate on September 18, 1997, by the 
President of the United States:
  Treaty with Australia on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters--
Treaty document No. 105-27.
  I further 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.
  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 Treaty Between the Government of 
the United States of America and the Government of Australia on Mutual 
Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at Washington on April 30, 1997, 
and a related exchange of diplomatic notes signed the same date. I 
transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report of the 
Department of State with respect to the Treaty.
  The Treaty is one of a series of modern mutual legal assistance 
treaties being negotiated by the United States in order to counter 
criminal activities more effectively. The Treaty should be an effective 
tool to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of crimes, 
including drug trafficking offenses, terrorism and other violent crime, 
money laundering and other ``white-collar'' crime. The Treaty is self-
executing.
  The Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal 
matters. Mutual assistance available under the Treaty includes: taking 
testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, records, and 
other articles of evidence; serving documents; locating or identifying 
persons; transferring persons in custody for testimony or other 
purposes; executing requests for searches and seizures and for 
restitution; immobilizing instrumentalities and proceeds of crime; 
assisting in proceedings related to forfeiture or confiscation; and 
rendering any other form of assistance not prohibited by the laws of 
the Requested State.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Treaty and related exchange of notes, and give its advice and 
consent to ratification.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, September 18, 1997.

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