On the recordApril 8, 2003
This really is a follow-up to last year's bill. I will not give my colleagues the number, they know it, but this 1584 creates a system to monitor the blood diamonds coming from Africa. It is a very, very important bill for a variety of reasons, not the least of which the humanitarian aspect; and what it does, it attacks the problem of the trade in African diamonds by having the President implement the so-called Kimberley process. My colleagues know what that is. It is important. It is a vehicle for making this bill possible. What the bill mechanically does is three things. First of all, it bans noncompliant rough diamonds. It severely punishes the violators of this ban, and it also helps other countries to set up similar systems. Also, this bill will require various reports by the administration and a 24-month study by the GAO to report on the effectiveness of the system.
Source
govinfo.gov
