[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 12 (Thursday, February 10, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S646]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 106-22

  Mr. GORTON. 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 February 10, 2000, by the President 
of the United States: Treaty with Russia on Mutual Legal Assistance in 
Criminal Matters (Treaty Document No. 106-22).
  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 United States 
of America and the Russian Federation on Mutual Legal Assistance in 
Criminal Matters, signed at Moscow on June 17, 1999. I transmit also, 
for the information of the Senate, a related exchange of notes and 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 terrorism, moray laundering, orgnanized crime and drug-
trafficking offenses. The treaty is self-executing.
  The Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal 
matters. Mutual assistance available under the Treaty included 
obtaining the testimony or statements of persons; providing documents, 
records and other items; aserving documents; locating or identifying 
persons and items; executing requests for searches and seizures; 
transferring persons in custody for testimony or other purposes; 
locating and immobilization assets for purposes of forfeiture, 
restitution, or collection of fines and any other form of legal 
assistance not prohibited by the laws of the Requested Party.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Treaty and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, February 10, 2000.

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