[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 126 (Monday, July 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3657-H3658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BASSAM BARABANDI REWARDS FOR JUSTICE ACT
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1036) to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of
1956 to authorize rewards under the Department of State's rewards
program relating to information regarding individuals or entities
engaged in activities in contravention of United States or United
Nations sanctions, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1036
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 ``Bassam Barabandi Rewards for
Justice Act''.
SECTION 2. AMENDMENT TO DEPARTMENT OF STATE REWARDS PROGRAM.
Subsection (b) of section 36 of the State Department Basic
Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2708) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (11), by striking ``or'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph.
``(13) the identification or location of an individual or
entity that--
``(A) knowingly, directly or indirectly, imports, exports,
or reexports to, into, or from any country any goods,
services, or technology controlled for export by the United
States because of the use of such goods, services, or
technology in contravention of a United States or United
Nations sanction; or
``(B) knowingly, directly or indirectly, provides training,
advice, or other services or assistance, or engages in
significant financial transactions, relating to any such
goods, services, or technology in contravention of such
sanction.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Smith) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 1036.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1036, the Bassam
Barabandi Rewards for Justice Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by
my friend, the gentleman from South Carolina, Congressman Joe Wilson,
and the gentleman from Florida, Ted Deutch.
Mr. Speaker, whistleblower programs have proven themselves effective
over and over again. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice collected
$3.7 billion in settlements and judgments from False Claim Act cases
against companies and individuals who had defrauded the government. Of
the $3.7 billion, 92 percent came from cases brought by whistleblowers.
Whistleblowers have easier access to evidence of misdeeds than outside
law enforcement investigators, deeper knowledge of the bad
[[Page H3658]]
actors engaged in unlawful behavior, and greater insights into the
methods through which fraud or theft is being carried out.
This bipartisan bill would authorize the Department of State to offer
rewards for information about the identity or location of individuals
who defy sanctions imposed by the United States or by the United
Nations.
This legislation builds on several existing programs that provide
rewards of information leading to the arrest or conviction of criminals
engaging in human trafficking, smuggling, or other transnational
crimes.
This bill will also increase compliance with American and
international sanctions programs and, therefore, serves a valuable role
promoting human rights, good governance, and the rule of law around the
world.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Wilson and Mr. Deutch for their diligent
work on this legislation, and I encourage all Members to join me in
supporting it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Rewards for Justice Act
introduced by our good friends, Joe Wilson and Congressman Deutch. It
is a good bipartisan bill, and I think it will really make a
difference.
The bill would expand the Rewards for Justice program at the State
Department to authorize rewards for individuals coming forward with
information on sanctions evasion practices.
The bill was inspired by Bassam Barabandi, a Syrian defector and
former diplomat at the Syrian embassy in Washington, who worked to
provide passports to critics of the criminal Assad regime.
For years after his defection, Bassam lobbied the U.S. Government
with information on Syrian oligarchs close to Assad, detailing their
sanctions evasion practices. Bassam's assistance highlighted the need
to create a clear mechanism to incentivize individuals to come forward
with this kind of vital information.
The legislation will do just that and ultimately enhance compliance
with U.S. and international sanctions, increase confidence in the rule
of law, and bring criminals and rogue regimes seeking to circumvent
U.S. law to justice.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
for the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation is vital to helping the United States
protect human rights and the rule of law around the world.
By allowing the State Department to compensate individuals for
bringing forward evidence of sanctions evasion and criminal misconduct
by bad actors, America will be better equipped to punish those who
flout the rule of law.
I thank my colleagues, Representatives Wilson and Deutch for putting
forward this key legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1036.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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