[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 27765]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 27765]]

                 TERRORIST VICTIMS COURTROOM ACCESS ACT

  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I rise to discuss a bill we just passed, S. 
1858. I thank my colleagues for their support:


Senator Kerry, Senator Nickles, Senator Kennedy, and Senators Warner, 
Hatch, and Clinton. Particularly, I thank Senator Nickles for he was of 
great help in getting this measure passed.
  S. 1858 deals with the upcoming trial of Zacarias Moussaoui. 
Moussaoui has been charged in a six-count indictment with undertaking 
``the same preparation for murder'' as the perpetrators of the 
September 11 attacks, but his alleged participation had been thwarted 
by his arrest the previous month in Minnesota. Now this measure is one 
that is helpful to all of us in that he is the only suspect with any 
direct connection with the most vile and horrific terrorist attack in 
our history.
  There will be substantial interest in the trial of Mr. Moussaoui on 
the part of those who have been left behind, especially the families 
and loved ones of thousands who were killed on that dreadful day. By 
some estimates, there are as many as 10,000 or 15,000 victims who may 
have an interest in viewing this historic legal proceeding that will 
take place in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 
Virginia in Alexandria.
  The current policy of the Federal Judicial Conference does not permit 
the televising of court proceedings. I am supporting legislation that 
would give Federal judges such discretion. But until that legislation 
passes, we will not be able to address the interests of victims' 
families to view the proceedings in the Moussaoui trial.
  In the past, exceptions have been made through congressional action, 
most notably allowing the closed circuit transmission of the trials of 
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols from Denver to Oklahoma City, so that 
families in Oklahoma could witness the proceedings. That is where 
Senator Nickles was especially empathetic and knowledgeable about how 
much this means to the victims' families.
  This legislation, S. 1858, is modeled on the law that allowed the 
Oklahoma City victims to witness the McVeigh and Nichols trials, and 
this bill will extend the same compassionate access or benefit to the 
numerous victims and families of September 11.
  The legislation calls for the closed circuit broadcast of the court 
proceedings to convenient locations in Northern Virginia; Los Angeles 
and San Francisco, CA; New York City; Boston; and Newark, NJ. Also 
``with the amendment in such other locations as the court shall 
determine to be desirable,'' to use the exact language, and other 
locations the court may find desirable in their discretion.
  The reason for the six places is that these are the sites of the 
terrorist attacks: the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, and the 
others are the sites where commandeered aircraft either departed or 
intended to arrive. Unfortunately, they did not. These locations 
obviously would have the greatest number of interested people and have 
victims in this attack.
  The legislation allows those who the court determines to have a 
compelling interest but who are unable to attend because of expense and 
convenience or simply a lack of space in the courtroom to witness the 
trial.
  The courtroom in Alexandria, VA, holds fewer than 100 people, and the 
sheer number of victims and others who meet the standard make it 
impossible for them to observe in person. While there is a great, deep 
wound for the larger society, the wound is deepest and most deeply and 
painfully felt by the survivors and families who lost loved ones.
  I am glad we recognize in the Senate that we owe it to those victims' 
families to allow them to see this open proceeding which is directly 
related to the horrific event of September 11 that took the lives of 
their loved ones. In doing so, for those who want to watch the trials--
others may not--for those who want to, it will begin to help them heal.
  It is a right approach that a compassionate nation wants to provide 
to these victims' families. I thank the Senators for their support, not 
of this legislation but for their support of the families of these 
victims.
  I yield back the remainder of my time. Thank you, Mr. President.

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