Jim Sensenbrenner: “I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding. I sponsored this legislation to improve the ability to protect the…”

“I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding. I sponsored this legislation to improve the ability to protect the United States from terrorist attacks, including attacks using weapons of mass destruction or attacks involving ships and maritime platforms. H.R. 1073 implements obligations of four multilateral counterterrorism treaties. Full ratification of the underlying treaties will not be achieved until Congress amends existing criminal provisions of the United States Code. This legislation was prepared in full cooperation with our Democratic colleagues on the committee, following months of work by committee staff in consultation with the Departments of Justice and State. The importance of this bipartisan legislation is evidenced by those who have joined me as original cosponsors: the gentleman from Virginia, Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte; Ranking Member John Conyers; and Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Scott. Two of these treaties concern nuclear and radiological materials, the sabotage of nuclear facilities, and the protection of nuclear facilities and materials used for peaceful purposes. The other two treaties relate to the use or targeting of ships or maritime platforms as a part of a terrorist attack, transporting of certain materials by ship for terrorist purposes, and the transport of terrorists by ship, among other things.…”