[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 22782-22783]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    THE COUNTERTERRORISM ACT OF 2000

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I am delighted to join my good 
friend Senator Jon Kyl in sponsoring S. 3205, the Counterterrorism Act 
of 2000. This bill, introduced last night, seeks to improve our ability 
to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks.
  In light of the events yesterday in the Middle East, there can be no 
doubt of the need for this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to act 
quickly to pass this important bill.
  All the evidence now indicates that the cowardly and reprehensible 
attack on the U.S. Navy destroyer U.S.S. Cole yesterday in Aden was a 
terrorist suicide attack. It appears that the bombers had infiltrated 
the port's harbor operations and carefully planned the operation. It is 
fortunate that the explosion did not set off Tomahawk cruise missiles 
or other ordnance on board, causing even more devastation.
  If found to be a terrorist incident, the attack on the U.S.S. Cole 
would be the worst against the U.S. military since the bombing of an 
Air Force barracks in Saudi Arabia killed 19 airmen in 1996. It would 
also be the worst attack on a Navy ship since an Iraqi missile struck 
an American guided-missile frigate in 1987, killing 37 sailors.
  My heart goes out to the families of the American sailors who were 
killed or injured or who are still missing. Their tragedy underlines 
the constant danger faced by our armed forces around the world and the 
need for this country to remain vigilant in protecting them from 
terrorist and other attacks.
  The attack on the U.S.S. Cole was no isolated incident. In fact, just 
today, a bomb was hurled at the British embassy in Yemen, causing a 
massive explosion.
  I believe that we need to take strong action to combat terrorism. 
There is no question that terrorist attacks will continue and that they 
will become more deadly. Terrorists today often act out of a visceral 
hatred of the U.S. or the West and seek to wreak maximum destruction 
and kill as many people as possible.
  At the same time, I believe that our counterterrorism policy must be 
conducted in a way that remains consistent with our democratic values 
and our commitment to an open, free society.
  To help avert attacks such as those on the U.S.S. Cole, Senator Kyl 
and I have introduced S. 3205. This legislation implements major 
recommendations from a bipartisan, blue-ribbon commission on terrorism.
  Specifically, the bill aims to review legal authority for responding 
to catastrophic terrorist attacks and increase long-term research and 
development to counter such attacks, improve controls on biological 
pathogens and equipment that could be used in a terrorist assault, 
discourage terrorist fundraising, improve the sharing of information 
about terrorists, keep Syria and Iran on the list of countries that 
sponsor terrorism, and fully reimburse counterintelligence personnel 
for insurance they purchase to protect themselves from professional 
liability.
  In many ways, the Kyl-Feinstein Counterterrorism Act of 2000 is a 
counterpart bill to the Justice for Victims

[[Page 22783]]

of Terrorism Act that just passed the Senate 95 to 0. That legislation, 
of which I was a chief cosponsor, will make it easier for American 
victims of terrorism abroad to collect court-awarded compensation and 
to ensure that the responsible state sponsors of terrorism pay a price 
for their crimes. The act also contained an amendment I authored with 
Senator Patrick Leahy that will provide faster and better assistance to 
victims of terrorism abroad. This legislation, which has passed the 
House as well, will now go the desk of President Clinton, who will sign 
it.
  While I strongly support assisting terrorist victims, I also believe 
that we need to do more to prevent Americans from becoming victims of 
terrorism in the first place. And I believe that we should act now--
before terrorists strike again, killing and injuring more Americans and 
leaving more families grieving. I urge Congress to act pass S. 3205 
before we adjourn.

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