[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 140 (Thursday, October 1, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H10440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       H.R. 3611, THE LIMITS ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Counterterrorism officials have warned mass 
transit systems around the country to increase patrols after they 
discovered that a group of individuals within the United States were 
allegedly planning to detonate backpack bombs aboard New York City 
trains.
  In the past month, we have once again been reminded that terrorists 
are still targeting U.S. mass transit systems and other major 
landmarks. We have to continue to be proactive against those seeking to 
do us harm and minimize our vulnerabilities, especially vulnerabilities 
on U.S. soil.
  I'd like to discuss one continuing threat that needs to be addressed. 
In 2002, 2003, and 2004, personnel from Iran, a designated state 
sponsor of terrorism, were caught photographing and videotaping the New 
York City subway and other popular landmarks.
  I ask my colleagues and the American people to think about why 
Iranian personnel would photograph and videotape the New York subway 
system and other popular sites. I'm referring to individuals from state 
sponsors of terrorism that are here with diplomatic immunity, 
supposedly in the United States for official business at the United 
Nations.
  Let me be clear. Personnel from a state sponsor of terrorism have 
been caught on numerous occasions spying. What do you think they 
intended to do with that information, the videotapes and the photos? 
These are not our friends. A few, but not all, of these individuals 
were expelled by the U.S. Department of State. Between 2004 and 2009, 
the State Department issued over 8,600 visas to delegates and 
representatives from countries designated as state sponsors of 
terrorism.
  Through the 1947 United Nations Headquarters Act, the United States 
is required to allow diplomats and personnel into the United States for 
official business at the United Nations headquarters complex in New 
York City, including personnel from countries who otherwise would be 
ineligible for U.S. visas.
  We can't afford to take these threats lightly. The presence of 
hundreds of individuals with diplomatic immunity from countries 
designated as state sponsors of terrorism is an overwhelming and 
expensive task for U.S. counterterrorism and counterintelligence 
resources.
  Michelle Van Cleave, the U.S. National Counterintelligence Executive 
from 2003 to 2006, put it well when she said, ``While the FBI--by far, 
America's premier counterintelligence agency--is assigned 
responsibility for countering all foreign intelligence operations in 
the United States, it lacks the manpower, the resources, the training, 
and probably the public support to venture into the complex grounds of 
analyzing the vast foreign presence in the country to identify the 
intelligence operations embedded therein.'' . . . ``The 
counterintelligence problem is not one of sheer numbers, though by any 
measure there are far more intelligence operatives in the United States 
than we have personnel to address them. The larger and more compelling 
issue is the scope of their activities. Historically, embassies and 
other diplomatic establishments within the United States have served as 
a hub for foreign intelligence activities because of the operational 
security that they afford.''
  Why are we helping state sponsors of terrorism gather intelligence 
information within the United States? When and where will we draw the 
line?
  If we can't stop these people from coming to the United States, the 
least we can do is limit their access to our country by dramatically 
limiting the radius that personnel from state sponsors of terrorism are 
permitted to travel.
  Congressman Dan Boren and I have introduced H.R. 3611, the LIMITS 
Act, Limiting the Intrusive Miles of International Terrorist Sponsors, 
which would limit personnel from state sponsors of terrorism to a half-
mile radius of the U.N. complex. A half mile is more than enough space 
for personnel from state sponsors of terrorism to obtain lodging, food, 
and other necessities, and will be an easier and more cost-effective 
use of U.S. counterterrorism and counterintelligence resources, as well 
as the New York Police Department.
  The FBI's top two priorities are to: number one, protect the United 
States from a terrorist attack; and, number two, protect the United 
States against foreign intelligence operations and espionage.

                              {time}  1530

  When it comes to state sponsors of terrorism with diplomatic immunity 
in our country, it is past time to make the FBI's job a little easier. 
I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the LIMITS Act and restrict access of 
State sponsors of terrorism on U.S. soil.

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