[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 43 (Thursday, March 17, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1607-S1608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 114-11

  Mr. McCONNELL. 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 March 17, 2016, by the 
President of the United States: Treaty with Kazakhstan on Mutual Legal 
Assistance in Criminal Matters, Treaty Document No. 114-11. 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 Republic of Kazakhstan on Mutual Legal Assistance in 
Criminal Matters, signed at Washington on February 20, 2015. I also 
transmit, for the information of the Senate, 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 negotiated by the United States to more effectively counter 
criminal activities. The Treaty should enhance our ability to 
investigate and prosecute a wide variety of crimes.
  The Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal 
matters. Under the Treaty, the Parties agree to assist each other by, 
among other things: producing evidence (such as testimony, documents, 
or items) obtained voluntarily or, where necessary, by compulsion; 
arranging for persons, including persons in custody, to travel to 
another country to provide evidence; serving documents; executing 
searches and seizures; locating and identifying persons or items; and 
freezing and forfeiting assets or property that may be

[[Page S1608]]

the proceeds or instrumentalities of crime.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Treaty, and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                        Barack Obama.  
The White House, March 17, 2016.

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