[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8950-S8951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. NELSON of Florida:
  S. 1376. A bill to amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security 
Act to ensure that Medicare + Choice eligible individuals have 
sufficient time to consider information and to make an informed choice 
regarding enrollment in a Medicare + Choice plan; to the Committee on 
Finance.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the 
Medicare Beneficiary Information Act. It is vital that Medicare + 
Choice participants receive plan information in a timely, appropriate 
manner.
  Under the Social Security Act, HMOs participating in the Medicare + 
Choice program are required to submit all of their plan information, 
including the type, cost and scope of benefits they intend to offer, by 
July 1st of each year. Upon receiving this information, the Secretary 
of HHS is required to prepare a booklet that compares the benefits and 
costs of each plan, and disseminate the information to seniors prior to 
the open enrollment season. The enrollment season is November 1st 
through November 30th.
  The July 1st deadline was imposed so that seniors would have ample 
opportunity to read the materials and to make an informed decision 
before selecting a health plan.
  Last month, at the request of the HMO industry, Secretary Thompson 
extended the deadline until September 15th. As a result, Medicare 
beneficiaries will have little time to review the comparative 
information before the enrollment period. In response to these 
concerns, the Secretary indicated that the information would be posted 
on the Internet by October 15th.
  Senior citizens in many cases do not have access to the Internet. If 
information is not sent in a timely manner, it will be extremely 
difficult for seniors, especially low income seniors, to make informed 
choices about their health plan. As a result, they will have little 
time to find new health care coverage if their HMO sharply raises 
premiums and fees, reduces benefits or pulls out of Medicare. 
Consequently, seniors may be forced to accept whatever changes the HMOs 
impose or run the risk of having gaps in their coverage should they 
choose to switch plans.
  This bill states that, effective 2002, HMO's are required to submit, 
complete binding information to the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services. It also requires that the information be sent to 
beneficiaries at least 45 days before the beginning of the open 
enrollment period. It further requires all comparative information to 
be sent in mail, rather than only being posted on the Internet. This 
will ensure that seniors are receiving the information necessary to 
make educated informed decisions about their health plan.
      By Mr. SMITH of Oregon:
  S. 1377. A bill to require the Attorney General to establish an 
office in the Department of Justice to monitor acts of international 
terrorism alleged to have been committed by Palestinian individuals or 
individuals acting on behalf of Palestinian organizations and to carry 
out certain other related activities; to the Committee on the 
Judiciary.
  Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, almost everyday we hear about new 
Palestinian violence in Israel and all too often, American citizens are 
among the victims. Earlier this year, Mrs. Sarah Blaustein, of Long 
Island, New York, was murdered in a drive-by shooting by Palestinian 
terrorists south of Jerusalem. A few weeks before

[[Page S8951]]

that, a 13-year old boy from Maryland, Jacob ``Koby'' Mandell, was 
savagely beaten and tortured to death by Palestinian terrorists. 
Eighteen American citizens have been killed by Palestinian terrorists 
since the signing of the Oslo accords in September 1993, and six of 
them were killed during the current wave of violence that began last 
autumn.
  Of course, Americans are occasionally the victims of terrorism all 
over the world, not just in Israel. But what makes the American victims 
in Israel unique is that while our government does everything it can to 
capture the terrorists who harm Americans elsewhere around the world, 
it takes a completely different approach when it comes to Palestinian 
terrorists.
  Our State Department offers multi-million dollar rewards for 
information leading to the capture of terrorists who have killed 
Americans around the world--but it has never offered such a reward to 
help catch terrorists who are being sheltered by Arafat. The State 
Department maintains a web site www.dssrewards.net for its ``Heroes'' 
program, where it posts the rewards to help capture terrorists.
  The time has come to take this vital issue out of the State 
Department's hands and put it back where it belongs, in the Department 
of Justice. This should not be a political issue. When a matter of 
justice is at stake, the decision should be made by the legal 
authorities whose responsibility it is to pursue justice, not politics.
  This is why today I rise to introduce the Koby Mandell Justice for 
American Victims of Terrorism Act of 2000.'' This bill will establish a 
special office, within the Department of Justice, the sole purpose of 
which will be to facilitate the capture of Palestinian terrorists 
involved in attacks in which American Citizens were harmed. The bill 
will: Collect evidence against suspected terrorists; offer rewards for 
information leading to the capture of these terrorists and maintain 
contact with families of victims to update them on the progress of 
efforts to capture the terrorists.
  In short, this legislation will help ensure that the killers of 
Americans will have a sanctuary in the Palestinian Authority 
territories. This legislation will advance the cause of justice and it 
will put terrorists and their supporters on notice that the United 
States government will not stand idly by when our citizens are harmed.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1377

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Koby Mandell Justice for 
     American Victims of Terrorism Act of 2001''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) Since 1948, many United States citizens have been 
     injured or killed in terrorist attacks committed by 
     Palestinian individuals and organizations in and outside of 
     the Middle East.
       (2) Under United States law, individuals who commit acts of 
     international terrorism outside of the United States against 
     nationals of the United States may be prosecuted for such 
     acts in the United States.
       (3) The United States has taken a special interest and 
     active role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, 
     including numerous diplomatic efforts to facilitate a 
     resolution of the conflict and the provision of financial 
     assistance to Palestinian organizations.
       (4) However, despite these diplomatic efforts and financial 
     assistance, little has been done to apprehend, indict, 
     prosecute, and convict Palestinian individuals who have 
     committed terrorist attacks against nationals of the United 
     States.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 
                   TO MONITOR TERRORIST ACTS BY PALESTINIAN 
                   INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND CARRY OUT 
                   RELATED ACTIVITIES.

       (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall establish 
     within the Department of Justice an office to carry out the 
     following activities:
       (1) Monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have 
     been committed by Palestinian individuals or individuals 
     acting on behalf of Palestinian organizations.
       (2) Collect information against individuals alleged to have 
     committed acts of international terrorism described in 
     paragraph (1).
       (3) Offer rewards for information on individuals alleged to 
     have committed acts of international terrorism described in 
     paragraph (1), including the dissemination of information 
     relating to such rewards in the Arabic-language media.
       (4) Negotiate with the Palestinian Authority or related 
     entities to obtain financial compensation for nationals of 
     the United States, or their families, injured or killed by 
     acts of terrorism described in paragraph (1).
       (5) In conjunction with other appropriate Federal 
     departments and agencies, establish and implement alternative 
     methods to apprehend, indict, prosecute, and convict 
     individuals who commit acts of terrorism described in 
     paragraph (1).
       (6) Contact the families of victims of acts of terrorism 
     described in paragraph (1) and provide updates on the 
     progress to apprehend, indict, prosecute, and convict the 
     individuals who commit such acts.
       (7) In order to effectively carry out paragraphs (1) 
     through (6), provide for the permanent stationing of an 
     appropriate number of United States officials in Israel, in 
     territory administered by Israel, in territory administered 
     by the Palestinian Authority, and elsewhere, to the extent 
     practicable.
       (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``international 
     terrorism'' has the meaning given such term in section 
     2331(b) of title 18, United States Code.

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     for fiscal year 2002 and each subsequent fiscal year such 
     sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
       (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
     authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are 
     authorized to remain available until expended.
                                 ______