Patrick Leahy: “I know one reason. It passed the other body 400 to 4. It came over here. I was asked if we had any objection to moving…”

“I know one reason. It passed the other body 400 to 4. It came over here. I was asked if we had any objection to moving it quickly. I said, absolutely not. We checked every single member on the Democratic side of the aisle, and they said they would vote for it, every man and woman. But we had a hold put on it from the Republican side of the aisle. They have held it up. They have delayed it. I cannot understand why. Money laundering by terrorists is covered. President Bush, shortly after the attack of September 11 last year, took extraordinary steps to try to choke off some of the sources of financing of these terrorist groups. I applauded the President for doing that. I thought it was the right thing. However, there are some major areas we could not pursue without further legislation, which the administration strongly supports, and which Republicans and Democrats strongly support. That is part of this bill. I would like to turn the spigot off for terrorists' money. That is in this bill. The President of the United States would sign this bill immediately once it got onto his desk. Why the Republicans are holding it up, frankly, I don't know.”