I

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5500

To require the Attorney General to establish an office in the Department

of Justice to monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have

been committed by Palestinian individuals or individuals acting on behalf

of Palestinian organizations and to carry out certain other related activities.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 19, 2000

Mr. ANDREWS (for himself, Mr. WEINER, and Mr. BENTSEN) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require the Attorney General to establish an office in

the Department of Justice to monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have been committed by

Palestinian individuals or individuals acting on behalf

of Palestinian organizations and to carry out certain

other related activities.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Justice for American

5 Victims of Terrorism Act of 2000’’.
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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

2 The Congress finds the following:

3 (1) Since 1948, many United States citizens

4 have been injured or killed in terrorist attacks com5 mitted by Palestinian individuals and organizations

6 in and outside of the Middle East.

7 (2) Under United States law, individuals who

8 commit acts of international terrorism outside of the

9 United States against nationals of the United States

10 may be prosecuted for such acts in the United

11 States.

12 (3) The United States has taken a special inter13 est and active role in resolving the Israeli-Pales14 tinian conflict, including numerous diplomatic efforts

15 to facilitate a resolution of the conflict and the pro16 vision of financial assistance to Palestinian organiza17 tions.

18 (4) However, despite these diplomatic efforts

19 and financial assistance, little has been done to ap20 prehend, indict, prosecute, and convict Palestinian

21 individuals who have committed terrorist attacks

22 against nationals of the United States.
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1 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE IN THE DEPARTMENT

2 OF JUSTICE TO MONITOR TERRORIST ACTS

3 BY PALESTINIAN INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANI4 ZATIONS AND CARRY OUT RELATED ACTIVI5 TIES.

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall estab7 lish within the Department of Justice an office to carry

8 out the following activities:

9 (1) Monitor acts of international terrorism al10 leged to have been committed by Palestinian individ11 uals or individuals acting on behalf of Palestinian

12 organizations.

13 (2) Collect information against individuals al14 leged to have committed acts of international ter15 rorism described in paragraph (1).

16 (3) Offer rewards for information on individuals

17 alleged to have committed acts of international ter18 rorism described in paragraph (1), including the dis19 semination of information relating to such rewards

20 in the Arabic-language media.

21 (4) Negotiate with the Palestinian Authority or

22 related entities to obtain financial compensation for

23 nationals of the United States, or their families, in24 jured or killed by acts of terrorism described in

25 paragraph (1).
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1 (5) In conjunction with other appropriate Fed2 eral departments and agencies, establish and imple3 ment alternative methods to apprehend, indict, pros4 ecute, and convict individuals who commit acts of

5 terrorism described in paragraph (1).

6 (6) Contact the families of victims of acts of

7 terrorism described in paragraph (1) and provide

8 updates on the progress to apprehend, indict, pros9 ecute, and convict the individuals who commit such

10 acts.

11 (7) In order to effectively carry out paragraphs

12 (1) through (6), provide for the permanent sta13 tioning of an appropriate number of United States

14 officials in Israel, in territory administered by Israel,

15 in territory administered by the Palestinian Author16 ity, and elsewhere, to the extent practicable.

17 (b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘inter18 national terrorism’’ has the meaning given such term in

19 section 2331(1) of title 18, United States Code.

20 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro22 priated for fiscal year 2001 and each subsequent fiscal

23 year such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
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1 (b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant

2 to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a)

3 are authorized to remain available until expended.

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