[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FISCAL YEARS 2010 AND 2011

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                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 10, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2410) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Department of State and the 
     Peace Corps for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, to modernize the 
     Foreign Service, and for other purposes:

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Chair, I rise to express my opposition to 
amendment number 19 offered by Representative Kirk to H.R. 2410, the 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act.
  Representative Kirk's amendment would allow the United States 
Secretary of State, at her discretion, to make payments from the 
Rewards for Justice program to officers or employees of foreign 
governments who provide information leading to the capture of 
exceptional and high-profile terrorists.
  Upon first glance, this amendment may seem reasonable. Of course the 
United States wishes to encourage persons in foreign countries to 
assist our efforts to resist global terrorism. However, I question the 
necessity and wisdom of using U.S. taxpayer funds to pay employees of 
foreign governments for official duties they are presumably already 
being paid by their own governments to perform. Long-term success in 
the global fight against terrorism requires that America's partners 
make this mission an integral part of their work, not an extra-credit 
activity.
  In addition, the effect of this amendment could be contrary to 
America's commitment to due process and human rights. In previous 
instances when soldiers or officials have been offered monetary 
incentives to capture ``terrorists'', innocent civilians have been 
labeled as terrorists and accusations grossly conflated so the 
informant can claim a financial prize or even a political score. The 
language of this amendment is too vague to protect against potential 
human rights abuses.
  For the two reasons I have stated, Madam Chair, I voted against the 
amendment offered by Mr. Kirk.

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