Senators Kyl and Feinstein Introduce
the Counterterrorism Act of 2000
October 13, 2000

Washington, DC -- U.S. Senators Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last night introduced legislation to improve our nation’s ability to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks.

Senator Kyl is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information while Senator Feinstein is the ranking member. The following is Senator Feinstein’s statement on the legislation:

“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 USS 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 USS 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 USS 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 USS 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 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 Pat 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.