I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3611 

To restrict the diplomatic travel of officials and representatives of state 

sponsors of terrorism, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 

Mr. BROUN of Georgia (for himself, Mr. BOREN, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. GARRETT

of New Jersey, Mr. LINDER, and Mr. TAYLOR) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To restrict the diplomatic travel of officials and representatives of state sponsors of terrorism, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Limiting the Intrusive 

5 Miles of International Terrorist Sponsors Act of 2009’’ 

6 or the ‘‘LIMITS Act of 2009’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Countries designated as state sponsors of 

2 terrorism represent a threat to the national security 

3 of the United States. 

4 (2) The United States is obligated to permit of5 ficials and other representatives of countries des6 ignated as state sponsors of terrorism to travel to 

7 New York City to attend meetings and conduct offi8 cial business at the United Nations. 

9 (3) Individuals from countries not otherwise le10 gally permitted to travel to the United States are 

11 given visas for delegates and representatives to the 

12 United Nations and other related diplomatic pur13 poses. 

14 (4) These delegates and representatives are in 

15 addition to the number of domestically assigned na16 tionals living in the United States. 

17 (5) Between January 1, 2004, and March 31, 

18 2009, the Department of State issued, with full dip19 lomatic immunity, 2,386 visas to delegates and rep20 resentatives from Cuba, 2,585 visas to delegates and 

21 representatives from Iran, 2,053 visas to delegates 

22 and representatives from Sudan, 732 visas to dele23 gates and representatives from Syria, and 869 to 

24 delegates and representatives from other state spon25 sors of terrorism. 


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1 (6) The delegates and representatives from Iran 

2 and Cuba, which are state sponsors of terrorism, are 

3 currently permitted to travel up to 25 miles from 

4 Columbus Circle in New York City for United Na5 tions activities, far beyond the necessary working vi6 cinity of the United Nations, giving them access not 

7 only to Manhattan, but to surrounding cities and 

8 States. 

9 (7) The delegates and representatives from 

10 Syria and Sudan, both state sponsors of terrorism, 

11 are currently permitted to travel throughout the 

12 United States without any mileage restrictions. 

13 (8) In June 2002, November 2003, and June 

14 2004, Iranian diplomatic personnel from the Iranian 

15 Mission to the United Nations were caught 

16 photographing and videotaping the New York City 

17 subway and other popular landmarks. 

18 (9) The Department of State expelled these in19 dividuals for being engaged in activities not con20 sistent with their duties. 

21 (10) Issuing approximately 8,625 visas over the 

22 past 5 years to personnel from countries designated 

23 as state sponsors of terrorism, without proper 

24 boundaries, creates a major security vulnerability 

25 within the United States. 


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1 (11) The presence of hundreds of individuals 

2 with diplomatic immunity from countries designated 

3 as state sponsors of terrorism is overwhelming 

4 United States counterterrorism and intelligence re5 sources. 

6 (12) The United States has an obligation to 

7 protect the American people against such threats. 

8 SEC. 3. RESTRICTION ON DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL OF OFFI9 CIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF STATE 

10 SPONSORS OF TERRORISM. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi12 sion of law, and except as provided in subsections (b) and 

13 (c), the President shall restrict to the designated area the 

14 travel of officials and representatives of countries that are 

15 designated as state sponsors of terrorism who are visiting 

16 the United Nations headquarters complex in connection 

17 with official business at the United Nations headquarters 

18 complex. 

19 (b) WAIVER.—The President may waive the travel re20 striction described in subsection (a) if the President— 

21 (1) determines that it is in the interest of na22 tional defense of the United States to do so; and 

23 (2) submits to Congress a report that contains 

24 the reasons for such determination not later than 30 

25 days after the issuance of such waiver. 


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1 (c) EXCEPTIONS.— 

2 (1) INGRESS AND EGRESS.—For purposes of 

3 this section, the restriction on travel referred to in 

4 subsection (a) shall not include travel to and from 

5 John F. Kennedy International Airport or 

6 LaGuardia Airport to the designated area in connec7 tion with official business at the United Nations 

8 headquarters complex. Travel between the des9 ignated area and such airports shall be direct and 

10 without any intervening stops. 

11 (2) ACCOMMODATIONS.—For purposes of this 

12 section, the restriction on travel referred to in sub13 section (a) shall not include travel to and from any 

14 lodgings or other hotel accommodations in which an 

15 official or representative is staying if such lodging or 

16 other hotel accommodation is within the designated 

17 area. Such permissible travel within the designated 

18 area may be made only by land. 

19 (3) MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.—For purposes of 

20 this section, the restriction on travel referred to in 

21 subsection (a) shall not include travel to and from 

22 New York University medical center or Bellevue 

23 Hospital Center for emergency medical care. 

24 (d) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.— 


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1 (1) ON TRAVEL.—Nothing in this Act shall be 

2 construed to prohibit the placement of additional re3 strictions by the City of New York, the State of New 

4 York, or the law enforcement agencies of such City 

5 or State on the travel within the designated area of 

6 officials and representatives of countries that are 

7 designated as state sponsors of terrorism. 

8 (2) OTHER RESTRICTIONS.—Nothing in this 

9 Act shall be construed to prohibit the placement by 

10 the President of additional restrictions on officials 

11 and representatives of countries that are designated 

12 as state sponsors or terrorism. 

13 (e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect on 

14 the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment 

15 of this Act. 

16 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 

17 (1) DESIGNATED AREA.—The term ‘‘designated 

18 area’’ means an area not greater than one-half of 

19 one mile (0.5 miles) in any direction on the island 

20 of Manhattan from the United Nations headquarters 

21 complex, but does not include any waterway. 

22 (2) STATE SPONSOR OF TERRORISM.—The term 

23 ‘‘state sponsor of terrorism’’ means a country the 

24 government of which has been determined by the 

25 Secretary of State, for purposes of section 6(j) of 


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1 the Export Administration Act of 1979, section 

2 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, section 

3 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, or other provi4 sion of law, is a government that has repeatedly pro5 vided support for acts of international terrorism. 

6 (3) UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS COM7 PLEX.—The term ‘‘United Nations headquarters 

8 complex’’ means the complex of United Nations 

9 buildings located in the City of New York, on First 

10 Avenue between 42nd Street and 48th Street, with 

11 the street address of 760 United Nations Plaza. 

Æ 


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