DON'T FORGET, THIS IS TODAY...
Will be shown on C-span1
The hearing is set for Monday, November 15, 2004, at 12:00 p.m. (est)
PING...
Posted on 11/10/2004 3:58:55 PM PST by Mike Fieschko
Washington, DC - The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) has scheduled a hearing entitled, “How Saddam Hussein Abused the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program.” The hearing is set for Monday, November 15, 2004, at 12:00 p.m. in Room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. This hearing will be the first of several hearings the Subcommittee intends to hold on this matter.Today, Chairman Coleman and ranking member Senator Carl Levin also sent a letter to Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations, reiterating a request for access to UN internal audit reports as well as key personnel knowledgeable about the abuses of the UN OFF program. The Subcommittee also objected to the recent actions of the Independent Inquiry Committee (“IIC”) headed by Paul Volker, that are “affirmatively preventing the Subcommittee” from receiving key documents relevant to its investigation.
The Subcommittee’s first hearing on the Oil-for-Food Program (“OFF Program”) will lay the foundation for future hearings on how the OFF Program was exploited by Saddam Hussein. The Subcommittee is scheduled to hear from Charles A. Duelfer, author of “The Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD.” Mr. Duelfer will testify as to how Saddam Hussein manipulated the OFF Program to erode United Nations sanctions, generated billions of dollars of illicit funds, and procured conventional weapons.
Also scheduled to testify is Juan Carlos Zarate, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Executive Office for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes at the Department of the Treasury. Mr. Zarate will discuss the extent to which funds illicitly procured under the OFF Program may have been used by Saddam Hussein for illicit purposes, including whether monies pilfered from the OFF Program are being used to fund the Iraqi insurgency or terrorist groups. The Subcommittee will also examine specific transactions in which the former Iraqi regime procured illicit funds and peddled influence by granting vouchers for oil deals, demanding kickbacks on contracts for humanitarian goods, and exacting surcharges on oil sales.
A background press availability with Senator Coleman and the Subcommittee staff will take place at 10:00 a.m. on November 15th in 199 Russell Senate Office Building.
The following witnesses are scheduled to testify at the Monday, November 15th hearing:
CHARLES A. DUELFER Special Advisor to the Director of the Central Intelligence for Strategy Regarding Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction Program Central Intelligence Agency
JUAN CARLOS ZARATE Deputy Assistant Secretary Executive Office for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes U. S. Department of the Treasury
DON'T FORGET, THIS IS TODAY...
Will be shown on C-span1
The hearing is set for Monday, November 15, 2004, at 12:00 p.m. (est)
PING...
Dang -- I won't be home. I expect full notes! LOL
I may have to watch this in the video archives when CSPAN adds it to their website.
United Nations Oil-for-Food Accountability Act of 2004 (Introduced in Senate)
S 2389 IS
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2389
To require the withholding of United States contributions to the United Nations until the President certifies that the United Nations is cooperating in the investigation of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 5, 2004
Mr. ENSIGN (for himself, Mr. MILLER, Mr. SMITH, Mr. GRAHAM of South Carolina, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. KYL, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. BURNS, Mr. LOTT, Mr. COLEMAN, Mr. SANTORUM, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. CRAIG, and Mr. ALLARD) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foriegn Relations
A BILL
To require the withholding of United States contributions to the United Nations until the President certifies that the United Nations is cooperating in the investigation of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `United Nations Oil-for-Food Accountability Act of 2004'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) There have been allegations of substantial fraud and corruption in the administration and management of the oil-for-food program.
(2) The United Nations received 2.2 percent of the proceeds of the sale of the oil exported from Iraq under the oil-for-food program, approximately $1,400,000,000, to fund the programs administrative and operational costs.
(3) The United States General Accounting Office estimates that during the period from 1997 through 2002, the former Iraqi regime received $10,100,000,000 in illegal revenues from the oil-for-food program, including $5,700,000,000 received from oil smuggled out of Iraq and $4,400,000,000 received from surcharges on oil sales and illicit commissions from suppliers exporting goods to Iraq.
(4) Any illicit activity by United Nations officials, personnel, agents, or contractors, including entities that have entered into contracts under the oil-for-food program, is unacceptable and must be thoroughly investigated.
(5) Documents in the files of the former Iraqi Oil Ministry indicate that Benon Sevan, the Executive Director of the oil-for-food program, and other senior United Nations officials may be connected to a kickback scheme in which some 270 prominent foreign officials, business people, and political entities received the right to trade in Iraqi oil at below market prices.
(6) On April 21, 2004, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1538 that established a high-level inquiry into allegations regarding the administration of the oil-for-food program. The inquiry will be led by Mr. Paul Volcker and the investigators will not have subpoena powers.
(7) The ability and credibility of the United Nations Security Council to act in matters of war and peace is threatened due to the alleged influence of permanent member states' politically connected individuals, companies, and institutions who received Iraqi oil contracts.
(8) The ability of the United Nations to convey legitimacy to the new Government of Iraq and assist in postwar Iraq is hampered by the allegations of United Nations corruption and mismanagement of the oil-for-food program.
SEC. 3. OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM DEFINED.
In this Act, the term `oil-for-food program' means the program to permit the sale of petroleum products exported from Iraq and to use the revenue generated from such sale for humanitarian assistance established and administered pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 986 (April 14, 1995) and subsequent United Nations resolutions.
SEC. 4. PAYMENT OF CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS CONTINGENT UPON UNITED NATIONS COOPERATION.
(a) WITHHOLDING OF PORTION OF ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS- Until the President submits the certification under subsection (b), amounts shall be withheld from amounts appropriated for contributions to international organizations as follows:
(1) FISCAL YEAR 2005 ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS FOR UNITED NATIONS REGULAR BUDGET- Of the funds appropriated for contributions to international organizations in an Act making appropriations for fiscal year 2005, 10 percent of the amount available for United States assessed contributions to the regular budget of the United Nations for such fiscal year.
(2) FISCAL YEAR 2006 ASSESSED CONTRIBUTIONS FOR UNITED NATIONS REGULAR BUDGET- Of the funds appropriated for contributions to international organizations in an Act making appropriations for fiscal year 2006, 20 percent of the amount available for United States assessed contributions to the regular budget of the United Nations for such fiscal year.
(b) CERTIFICATION- The certification referred to in subsection (a) is a certification made by the President to Congress that--
(1) the United Nations has in effect procedures that provide the General Accounting Office access to all documents relating to the oil-for-food program so that the Comptroller General of the United States may perform nationally mandated reviews of United Nations operations;
(2) the United Nations Secretary General has formally confirmed that the United Nations will not assert the inviolability of United Nations papers and internal records that concern the oil-for-food program or a sanction imposed on Iraq related to the oil-for-food program;
(3) the United Nations has authorized the release, upon request, to the law enforcement authorities of any member state of the United Nations authentic copies of any document, including any document in the custody of a person that was engaged on a contract basis to provide goods or services to the United Nations , that in the judgment of the requesting authority directly or indirectly concerns the oil-for-food program or a sanction imposed on Iraq related to the oil-for-food program;
(4) the United Nations has waived any immunity enjoyed by any United Nations official from the judicial process in the United States for any civil or criminal acts or omissions under United States Federal or State law in connection with the oil-for-food program; and
(5) any United Nations official who received improper financial benefits from the oil-for-food program has reimbursed the Government of Iraq for the full amount, including interest on such amount, that such official improperly received.
I'm betting it'll be re-played over the weekend.
Can Coleman come represent Wisconsin too? My Senators are Kohl and Feingold, who are the male versions of Boxer and Feinstein.
I think we need to carve out a new State with the red areas of MN and WI! I am so impressed with Sen Coleman -- heard him speak on this and he wasn't taking "no" for an answer.
I'll try to catch it .. but 'm not sure if I'll be able to watch all of it
BUMP!
GET IT ON!!!
You can also stream in the audio here.
http://www.capitolhearings.org/
Click on "Dirksen 342" on nthe right hand side
21.3 Billion!!!!!!!
ON CSPAN now
Is Duelfer going to testify today?
Yes...he is there....
Thanks! I'm bugging. I've got to get a TV in here....
Sen Levin is ranking member and a real pisser, too
Susan.............................Collins..............................up..........................now.
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