Benjamin Gilman: “I am pleased for this opportunity to speak on the concise issue of international terrorism, which is so much on the mind…”

“I am pleased for this opportunity to speak on the concise issue of international terrorism, which is so much on the mind of our Nation today. As we move forward with this important bill before us, let us be ever mindful of how we must most effectively fight this scourge, especially on the international front. I am particularly pleased that the bill before us (H.R. 3953) in section 203 encourages the President to take greater steps to address the problem of foreign government-sponsored international terrorism. We must keep international terrorism at the top of our foreign policy agenda, as the New York World Trade Center bombing in February 1993 made very clear. International terrorism has come to our own shores. In addition, the recent attacks on American personnel in Saudi Arabia make it clear that terrorist fear no boundaries or jurisdiction when going after our vital interests. The struggle against terrorism is one which all of the nations of the world must wage cooperatively together. It is gratifying that at our direction and through Republican-led efforts, the State Department was forced to maintain a high-level, visible office of Coordinator for Counter Terrorism to help make known to friendly nations, state sponsors of terrorism, and within the U.S. bureaucracy that international terrorism is a high foreign policy priority.”