[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 16, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H7811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SAUDI ARABIA MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEBTS

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, Hill International is a New Jersey company 
who has sought to resolve a $55 million claim with the Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia dating from the 1970s for work performed on a power and 
desalinization plant.
  There is no question that the work was finished, because the plant is 
in operation today. The issue is whether or not the Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia and Prince Bandar will step forward and pay for the services 
they received.
  Now, I come to the floor today, with many of my colleagues, out of 
sheer frustration. After 3 years of asking, Members have not been able 
to get a meeting with Prince Bandar. Our government should stand up for 
U.S. companies and citizens who are economically hurt by foreign 
countries.
  How long will Members of Congress have to wait before we can have a 
meeting? Prince Bandar and Crown Prince Abdullah will be in Washington 
in just a few days. I hope that they will honor our long-standing 
request for a meeting and, more importantly, I hope that Saudi Arabia 
will meet its obligation to pay for what work was done, as is observed 
under international rules and law.
  Saudi Arabia should pay the claim of this U.S. company who did the 
work and should be paid.

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