Orrin Hatch: “This amendment simply places a dollar floor on cases that can be brought in Federal court in acts of terrorism. This…”

“This amendment simply places a dollar floor on cases that can be brought in Federal court in acts of terrorism. This amendment will prevent Federal courts from having to try minor cases in Federal court. For example, we would not want a case involving a mere broken window or a smashed door to be tried in Federal court. So this amendment basically says, ``* * * 25 years; provided, however, that the damages to property that were caused, or would have been caused if any object of the conspiracy had been accomplished, must exceed, or must reasonably be estimated to exceed, $25,000.'' So that is basically what this amendment does. This amendment makes a great deal of sense in the context of this debate so I would urge my colleagues to support this Smith amendment.”