Posted on 09/21/2001 8:57:06 AM PDT by Sandy
ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2001
SECTION -BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Title I: Intelligence Gathering
Subtitle A: Electronic Surveillance
Section 101 Modification of Authorities Relating to Use of Pen
Registers And Trap And Trace Devices
This section authorizes courts to grant pen register/trap and
trace orders that are valid anywhere in the nation, and subjects Internet
communications to the same rules as telephone communications. At present,
the government must apply for new pen/trap orders in every jurisdiction
where an investigation is being pursued. Hence, law enforcement officers
tracking a suspected terrorist in multiple jurisdictions must waste
valuable time and resources by obtaining a duplicative order in each
jurisdiction.
In greater detail, the section amends 18 U.S.C. ? 3123(a) by
allowing courts to grant orders that are valid "anywhere within the United
States." Thus, the government would be able to obtain one pen
register/trap and trace order that could be applied to any communications
provider in the chain of providers carrying the suspects'
communications. This amendment would increase tracing efficiency by
eliminating the current need to apply for new orders each time the
investigation leads to another jurisdiction. The section also includes a
number of provisions which ensure that the pen/trap provisions apply to
facilities other than telephone lines (e.g., the Internet). These
amendments will promote effective tracing regardless of the media employed.
Section 102 Seizure of Voice Mail Messages Pursuant to Warrants
This section enables law enforcement personnel to seize suspected
terrorists' voice mail messages pursuant to a search warrant. At present,
18 U.S.C. ? 2510(1) anomalously defines "wire communication" to include
"any electronic storage of such communication," meaning that the government
must apply for a Title III wiretap order before it can obtain unopened
voice mail messages held by a service provider. The section amends the
definition of "wire communication" so that it no longer includes stored
communications. It also amends 18 U.S.C. ? 2703 to specify that the
government may use a search warrant (instead of a wiretap order) to compel
the production of unopened voicemail, thus harmonizing the rules applicable
to stored voice and non-voice (e.g., e-mail) communications.
Section 103 Authorized Disclosure
This section facilitates the disclosure of Title III information
to other components of the intelligence community in terrorism
investigations. At present, 18 U.S.C. ? 2517(1) generally allows
information obtained via wiretap to be disclosed only to the extent that it
will assist a criminal investigation. One must obtain a court order to
disclose Title III information in non-criminal proceedings. Section 109
would modify the wiretap statutes to permit the disclosure of Title
III-generated information to a non-law enforcement officer for such
purposes as furthering an intelligence investigation. This will harmonize
Title III standards with those of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
(FISA), which allows such information-sharing. Allowing disclosure under
Title III is particularly appropriate given that the requirements for
obtaining a Title III surveillance order in general are more stringent than
for a FISA order, and because the attendant privacy concerns in either
situation are similar and are adequately protected by existing statutory
provisions.
Section 104 Savings Provision
This provision clarifies that the collection of foreign
intelligence information is governed by foreign intelligence authorities
rather than by criminal procedural statutes, as the current statutory
scheme envisions.
Section 105 Use of Wiretap Information >From Foreign Governments
Under current case law, federal prosecutors appear to have the
ability to use electronic surveillance conducted by foreign governments in
criminal proceedings. As criminal law enforcement becomes more of a global
effort, such information will come to play a larger role in federal
prosecutions. To ensure uniformity of federal practice, this section
codifies the principle that United States prosecutors may use against
American citizens information collected by a foreign government even if the
collection would have violated the Fourth Amendment. Under the proposal,
such information may not be used if it was obtained with the knowing
"participation" or at the direction of American law enforcement personnel,
if gathered in violation of constitutional protections.
Section 106 Interception of Computer Trespasser Communications
Current law may not allow victims of computer trespassing to
request law enforcement assistance in monitoring unauthorized attacks as
they occur. Because service providers often lack the expertise, equipment,
or financial resources required to monitor attacks themselves as permitted
under current law, they often have no way to exercise their rights to
protect themselves from unauthorized attackers. Moreover, such attackers
can target critical infrastructures and engage in cyberterrorism. To
correct this problem, and help to protect national security, the proposed
amendments to the wiretap statute would allow victims of computer attacks
to authorize persons "acting under color of law" to monitor trespassers on
their computer systems in a narrow class of cases.
Section 107 Scope of Subpoenas for Records of Electronic
Communications
Current law allows the government to use a subpoena to compel
communications providers to disclose a small class of records that pertain
to electronic communications, limited to such records as the customer's
name, address, and length of service. 18 U.S.C. ?
2703(c)(1)(C). Remarkably, investigators cannot use a subpoena to obtain
such records as credit card number or other form of payment. In many cases,
users register with Internet service providers using false names, making
the form of payment critical to determining the user's true identity. Under
current law, this information can only be obtained by the slower and more
cumbersome process of a court order.
In fast-moving investigation such as terrorist bombings - in which
Internet communications are critical method of identifying conspirators in
determining the source of the attacks -- the delay necessitated by the use
of court orders can often be important. Obtaining billing and other
information can identify not only the perpetrator but also give valuable
information about the financial accounts of those responsible and their
conspirators. Therefore, the proposed amendments to ? 2703(c)(1)(C) would
update and broaden the class of records that law enforcement authorities
may obtain with a subpoena.
Section 108 Nationwide Service of Search Warrants for
Electronic Evidence
Current law requires the government to use a search warrant to
compel a provider to disclose unopened e-mail. 18 U.S.C. ?
2703(a). Because Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41 requires that the
"property" to be obtained be "within the district" of the issuing court,
however, the rule may not allow the issuance of ? 2703(a) warrants for
e-mail located in other districts. Thus, for example, where an
investigator in Boston is seeking electronic e-mail in the Yahoo! account
of a suspected terrorist, he may need to coordinate with agents,
prosecutors, and judges in the Northern District of California, none of
whom have any other involvement in the investigation. This electronic
communications information can be critical in establishing relationships,
motives, means, and plans of terrorists. Moreover, it is equally relevant
to cyber-incidents in which a terrorist motive has not (but may well be)
identified. Finally, even cases that require the quickest response
(kidnappings, threats, or other dangers to public safety or the economy)
may rest on evidence gathered under ? 2703(a). To further public safety,
this section accordingly authorizes courts with jurisdiction over
investigations to compel evidence directly, without requiring the
intervention of their counterparts in the districts where major Internet
service providers are located.
Section 109 Clarification of Scope
Law enforcement must have the capability to trace, intercept, and
obtain records of the communications of terrorists and other criminals with
great speed, even if they choose to use a cable provider for their
telephone and Internet service. This section amends the Cable
Communications Policy Act ("Cable Act") to clarify that when a cable
company acts as a telephone company or an Internet service provider, it
must comply with the same laws governing the interception and disclosure of
wire and electronic communications that apply to any other telephone
company or Internet service provider. The Cable Act, passed in 1984 to
regulate various aspects of the cable television industry, could not take
into account the changes in technology that have occurred over the last
seventeen years. Cable television companies now often provide Internet
access and telephone service in addition to television
programming. Because of perceived conflicts between the Cable Act and the
laws that govern law enforcement's access to communications and records of
communications carried by cable companies, cable providers have refused to
comply with lawful court orders, thereby slowing or ending critical
investigations.
Section 110 Emergency Disclosure of Electronic Communications
Existing law contains no provision that allows providers of
electronic communications
service to disclose the communications (or records relating to such
communications) of their customers or subscribers in emergencies that
threaten death or serious bodily injury. This section amends 18 U.S.C. ?
2702 to authorize such disclosures if the provider reasonably believes that
an emergency involving immediate danger of death or serious physical injury
to any person requires disclosure of the information without delay.
Current law also contains an odd disconnect: a provider may
disclose the contents of the customer's communications in order to protect
its rights or property but the current statute does not expressly permit a
provider to voluntarily disclose non-content records (such as a
subscriber's login records). 18 U.S.C. ? 2702(b)(5). This problem
substantially hinders the ability of providers to protect themselves from
cyber-terrorists and criminals. Yet the right to disclose the contents of
communications necessarily implies the less intrusive ability to disclose
non-content records. In order to promote the protection of our nation's
critical infrastructures, this section's amendments allow communications
providers to voluntarily disclose both content and non-content records to
protect their computer systems.
Subtitle B: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Section 151 Period of Orders of Electronic Surveillance of
Non-United States Persons Under Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
This section reforms a critical aspect of the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). It will enable the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), which presides over applications
made by the U.S. government under FISA, to authorize the search and
surveillance in the U.S. of officers and employees of foreign powers and
foreign members of international terrorist groups for up to a
year. Currently, the FISC may only authorize such searches and
surveillance for up to 45 days and 90 days, respectively. The proposed
change would bring the authorization period in line with that allowed for
search and surveillance of the foreign establishments for which the foreign
officers and employees work. The proposed change would have no effect on
electronic surveillance or physical searches of U.S. citizens or permanent
resident aliens.
Section 152 Multi-Point Authority
This provision expands the obligations of third parties to furnish
assistance to the government under FISA. Under current FISA provisions,
the government can seek information and assistance from common carriers,
landlords, custodians and other persons specified in court-ordered
surveillance. Section 152 would amend FISA to expand existing authority to
allow, "in circumstances where the Court finds that the actions of the
target of the application may have the effect of thwarting the
identification of a specified person," that a common carrier, landlord,
custodian or other person not specified in the Court's order be required to
furnish the applicant information and technical assistance necessary to
accomplish electronic surveillance in a manner that will protect its
secrecy and produce a minimum of interference with the services that such
person is providing to the target of electronic surveillance. This would
enhance the FBI's ability to monitor international terrorists and
intelligence officers who are trained to thwart surveillance by rapidly
changing hotel accommodations, cell phones, Internet accounts, etc., just
prior to important meetings or communications. Under the current law, the
government would have to return to the FISA Court for an order that named
the new carrier, landlord, etc., before effecting surveillance. Under the
proposed amendment, the FBI could simply present the newly discovered
carrier, landlord, custodian, or other person with a generic order issued
by the Court, and could then effect FISA coverage as soon as technically
feasible.
Section 153 Foreign Intelligence Information
Current law requires that FISA be used only where foreign
intelligence gathering is the sole or primary purpose of the
investigation. This section will clarify that the certification of a FISA
request is supportable where foreign intelligence gathering is "a" purpose
of the investigation. This change would eliminate the current need
continually to evaluate the relative weight of criminal and intelligence
purposes, and would facilitate information sharing between law enforcement
and foreign intelligence authorities which is critical to the success of
anti-terrorism efforts.
Section 154 Foreign Intelligence Information Sharing
With limited exceptions, it is presently impossible for criminal
investigators to share information obtained through a grand jury (including
through the use of grand jury subpoenas) and information obtained from
electronic surveillance authorized under Title III with the intelligence
community. This limitation will be very significant in some criminal
investigations. For example, grand jury subpoenas often are used to obtain
telephone, computer, financial, and other business records in organized
crime investigations. Thus, these relatively basic investigative materials
are inaccessible for examination by intelligence community analysts working
on related transnational organized crime groups. A similar problem occurs
in computer intrusion investigations: grand jury subpoenas and Title III
intercepts are used to collect transactional data and to monitor the
unknown intruders. The intelligence community will have an equal interest
in such information, because the intruder may be acting on behalf of a
foreign power.
Section 155 Pen Register And Trap And Trace Authority
When added to FISA two years ago, the pen register/trap and trace
section was intended to mirror the criminal pen/trap authority defined in
18 U.S.C. ? 3123. In fact, the FISA authority differs from the criminal
authority only in that it requires, in addition to a showing of relevance,
an additional factual showing that the communications device has been used
to contact an "agent of a foreign power" engaged in international terrorism
or clandestine intelligence activities. This has the effect of making the
FISA pen/trap authority much more difficult to obtain. In fact, the
process for obtaining FISA pen/trap authority is only slightly less
burdensome than the process for obtaining full electronic surveillance
authority under FISA. This stands in stark contrast to the criminal
pen/trap authority, which can be obtained quickly from a local court, on
the basis of a certification that the information to be obtained is
relevant to an ongoing investigation. The amendment simply eliminates the
"agent of a foreign power" prong from the predication, and thus makes the
FISA authority more closely track the criminal authority.
Section 156 Business Records
The "business records" section of FISA (50 U.S.C. ?? 1861 and
1862) requires a formal pleading to the Court and the signature of a FISA
judge (or magistrate). In practice, this makes the authority unavailable
for most investigative contexts. The time and difficulty involved in
getting such pleadings before the Court usually outweighs the importance of
the business records sought. Since its enactment, the authority has been
sought less than five times.
This section would delete the old authority and replace it with a generic
"administrative subpoena" authority for documents and records. This
authority, modeled on the administrative subpoena authority available to
drug investigators pursuant to Title 21, allows the Attorney General to
compel production of such records upon a finding that the information is
relevant.
Section 157 Miscellaneous National Security Authorities
At the present time, National Security Letter (NSL) authority
exists in three separate statutes: the Electronic Communications Privacy
Act (for telephone and electronic communications records), the Financial
Right to Privacy Act (for financial records), and the Fair Credit Reporting
Act (for credit records). Like the FISA pen register/trap and trace
authority described above, NSL authority requires both a showing of
relevance and a showing of links to an "agent of a foreign power." In this
respect, they are substantially more demanding than the analogous criminal
authorities, which require only a certification of relevance. Because the
NSLs require documentation of the facts supporting the "agent of a foreign
power" predicate and because they require the signature of a high-ranking
official at FBI headquarters, they often take months to be issued. This is
in stark contrast to criminal subpoenas, which can be used to obtain the
same information, and are issued rapidly at the local level. In many
cases, counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations suffer
substantial delays while waiting for NSLs to be prepared, returned from
headquarters, and served. The section would streamline the process of
obtaining NSL authority, and also clarify that the FISA Court can issue
orders compelling the production of consumer reports.
Section 158 Disclosure of Educational Records
The Department believes that there may be information contained in
student education records maintained by educational agencies and
institutions and in education surveys reported to the National Center for
Education Statistics that could be important in the criminal investigation
of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, as well as to national
security. However, section 408 of the National Statistics Act clearly
prohibits disclosure of such information to appropriate Federal officials
for these purposes; and, of equal importance, section 408 criminalizes the
disclosure of any such prohibited information. This section will
effectively override section 408 for this limited purpose.
Section 444 (Protection of the Rights and Privacy of Students and
Parents, commonly referred to as FERPA) of the General Education Provisions
Act generally prohibits the release of personally identifiable information
from student education records without the consent of the student (or, in
the case of a minor, the student's parents). While there are certain
exceptions to this prohibition, it is not clear that these exceptions are
fully applicable to the pressing need to share such information from
student education records relating to terrorism with the appropriate
Federal officials for the purpose of criminal investigation and prosecution
and ensuring national security. This section will effectively override
section 444 for this limited purpose.
Section 159 Presidential Authorities
This section is designed to accomplish two principal
objectives. First, the section restores to the President, in limited
circumstances involving armed hostilities or attacks against the United
States, the power to confiscate and vest in the United States the property
of enemies during times of national emergency, which was contained in the
Trading with the Enemy Act, 50 app. U.S.C. sect. 5(b) (TWEA) until
1977. Until the International Economic Emergency Act (IEEPA) was passed in
1977, section 5(b) permitted the President to vest enemy property in the
United States during time of war or national emergency. When IEEPA was
passed, it did not expressly include a provision permitting the vesting of
property in the United States, and section 5(b) of TWEA was amended to
apply only "[d]uring the time of war." 50 app. U.S.C. sect. 5(b).
This new provision tracks the vesting language currently in
section 5(b) of TWEA and permits the President, only in the limited
circumstances when the United States is engaged in military hostilities or
has been subject to an attack, to confiscate property of any foreign
country, person, or organization involved hostilities or attacks on the
United States. Like the original provision in TWEA, it is an exercise of
Congress's war power under Article I, section 8, clause 11of the
Constitution and is designed to apply to unconventional warfare where
Congress has not formally declared war against a foreign nation.
The second principal purpose of this amendment to IEEPA is to
ensure that reviewing courts may base their rulings on an examination of
the complete administrative record in sensitive national security or
terrorism cases without requiring the United States to compromise
classified information.
New subsection (c) would authorize a reviewing court, in the process of
verifying that determinations made by the executive branch were based upon
substantial evidence and were not arbitrary or capricous, to consider
classified evidence ex parte and in camera. This would ensure that
reviewing courts have the best and most complete information upon which to
base their decisions without forcing the United States to choose between
compromising highly sensitive intelligence information or declining to take
action against individuals or entities that may present a serious threat to
the United States or its nationals. A similar accommodation mechanism was
enacted by Congress in the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act
of 1996, 8 U.S.C. Section 1189(b)(2).
TITLE II: IMMIGRATION
Section 201 Definitions Relating to Terrorism
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court is the only mechanism
available to the government in which classified evidence can be used as
part of an affirmative case to remove an alien involved in terrorism. In
existence since 1996, it has never been used, in part because of the narrow
definition of "terrorist" which limits the applicability of the
Court. The current definition is limited to individuals who provide
material support for a "terrorist activity." This section broadens that
definition to include anyone who affords material support to an
organization that the individual knows or should know is a terrorist
organization, regardless of whether or not the purported purpose for the
support is related to terrorism. These revised definitions will apply in
all types of removal proceedings (before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court,
immigration courts, and the INS). This legislation seeks to stop the
provision of support to terrorist organizations through sham non-terrorist
activities. The legislation further defines terrorist organization and
provides a mechanism for the designation and redesignation of groups as
terrorist organizations.
Section 202 Mandatory Detention of Suspected Terrorists
Currently, persons deportable or inadmissible for
terrorism-related reasons must be detained. This section expands this
mandatory detention to those individuals the Attorney General determines
pose a threat to national security, whether or not the alien is eligible
for or is granted relief from removal. The Attorney General is vested with
the discretion to make these time-sensitive decisions and to detain
individuals who are found to pose a threat to national security until they
are actually removed or until the Attorney General determines the person no
longer poses a threat.
Section 203 Habeas Corpus and Judicial Review
Under current law, determinations to remove or detain terrorists
have generally been deemed by the courts to be reviewable by habeas corpus
proceedings which can be brought in any applicable federal jurisdiction
nationwide. The availability of multiple jurisdictions for review creates
the potential for inconsistent standards to be developed by reviewing
courts, which interferes with the government's ability to pursue detention
and removal under a known and consistent standard. The proposed provision
would not limit the scope of judicial review, but would vest exclusive
judicial review of detention and removal proceedings with respect to
aliens certified by the Attorney General as national security risks in the
federal courts for the District of Columbia. The reservation of all alien
terrorist cases to the District of Columbia conforms to general principles
of administrative law, and to the existing provisions of the Immigration
and Nationality Act. It is common for judicial review of agency action to
be confined to a single court, and the Immigration and Nationality Act
already limits challenges to expedited removal and Alien Terrorist Removal
Court cases to the District of Columbia.
Section 204 Applicability
This provision makes it clear that this legislation will apply to
all aliens regardless of when they entered the United States or when they
committed the terrorist activity.
Section 205 Multilateral Cooperation Against Terrorists
This section will enhance our ability to combat terrorism and
crime worldwide by providing new exceptions to the laws regarding
disclosure of information from visa records. Under current law the
Secretary of State may only disclose such information when doing so is
directly related to the administration or enforcement of U.S. laws or a
court makes the request. Often these showings are difficult to make in
responding to an information request from a foreign government due to
constraints of time or foreign procedure which preclude the involvement of
a foreign court. This section grants the Secretary of State discretion to
provide such information to foreign officials on a case-by-case basis for
the purpose of fighting international terrorism or crime. It would also
allow the Secretary to provide countries with which he negotiates specific
agreements to have more general access to information from the State
Department's lookout databases where the country will use such information
only to deny visas to persons seeking to enter its territory.
Section 206 Interagency Data Sharing
This amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) would
recognize that the interagency cooperation provided for in INA Section 105
now serves a broader border security function, and would enhance that
function by improving consular officers' access to crime information. This
is consistent with the fact that securing the borders of the U.S. against
the entry of international terrorists, traffickers in narcotics, weapons or
persons, international organized crime members, and illegal entrants is not
the responsibility of any single federal agency. Consular officers abroad
must facilitate legitimate travel while preventing the travel of
individuals who present security or other threats to U.S. government
interests. These officers need electronic access to information from
border security and law enforcement agencies that will assist in
identifying high-risk travelers, including information maintained by the
FBI on aliens suspected of committing crimes in the U.S. (e.g., information
contained in the NCIC-III and Wanted Persons File databases). Without this
information, a consular officer could unknowingly grant a visa to a known
or suspected criminal.
TITLE III - CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Subtitle A: Substantive Criminal Law
Section 301 No Statute of Limitations For Prosecuting Terrorism
Offenses
This section amends 18 U.S.C. ? 3286 to provide that terrorism
offenses may be prosecuted without limitation of time. This will make it
possible to prosecute the perpetrators of terrorist acts whenever they are
identified and apprehended.
The section expressly provides that it is applicable to offenses
committed before the date of enactment of the statute, as well as those
committed thereafter. This retroactivity provision ensures that no
limitation period will bar the prosecution of crimes committed in
connection with the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The
constitutionality of such retroactive applications of changes in statutes
of limitations is well-settled. See, e.g., United States v. Grimes, 142
F.3d 1342, 1350-51 (11th Cir. 1998); People v. Frazer, 982 P.2d 180 (Cal.
1999).
Existing federal law (18 U.S.C. ? 3282) bars prosecuting most
offenses after five years. 18 U.S.C. ? 3286, as currently formulated,
extends the limitation period for prosecution for certain offenses that may
be committed by terrorists - but only to eight years. While this is a
limited improvement over the five-year limitation period for most federal
offenses, it is patently inadequate in relation to the catastrophic human
and social costs that frequently follow from such crimes as destruction of
aircraft (18 U.S.C. ? 32), aircraft hijackings (42 U.S.C. ?? 46502,
46504-06), attempted political assassinations (18 U.S.C. ?? 351 , 1116,
1751), or hostage taking (18 U.S.C. ? 1203). These are not minor acts of
misconduct which can properly be forgiven or forgotten merely because the
perpetrator has avoided apprehension for some period of time. Anomalously,
existing law provides longer limitation periods for such offenses as bank
frauds and certain artwork thefts (18 U.S.C. ?? 3293-94) than it does for
the crimes characteristically committed by terrorists.
In many American jurisdictions, the limitation periods for
prosecution for serious offenses are more permissive than those found in
federal law, including a number of states which have no limitation period
for the prosecution of felonies generally. While this section does not go
so far, it does eliminate the limitation period for prosecution of the
major crimes that are most likely to be committed by terrorists ("Federal
terrorism offenses"), as specified in section 310 of this bill.
Section 302 Alternative Maximum Penalties For Terrorism Crimes
Under existing law, the maximum prison terms for federal offenses
are normally determined by specifications in the provisions which define
them. These provisions can provide inadequate maxima in cases where the
offense is aggravated by its terrorist character or motivation. This
section accordingly adds a new subsection (e) to 18 U.S.C. ? 3559 which
provides alternative maximum prison terms, including imprisonment for any
term of years or for life, for crimes that are likely to be committed by
terrorists. This is analogous to the maximum fine provisions of 18 U.S.C.
? 3571(b)-(c) - which supersede lower fine amounts specified in the
statutes defining particular offenses - and will more consistently ensure
the availability of sufficiently high maximum penalties in terrorism
cases. As in several other provisions of this bill, the list of the
serious crimes most frequently committed by terrorists set forth in section
310 of the bill ("Federal terrorism offenses") is used in defining the
scope of the provision.
This section affects only the maximum penalty allowed by
statute. It does not limit the authority of the Sentencing Commission and
the courts to tailor the sentences imposed in particular cases to offense
and offender characteristics.
Section 303 Penalties For Terrorist Conspiracies
The maximum penalty under the general conspiracy provision of
federal criminal law (18 U.S.C. ? 371) is five years, even if the object of
the conspiracy is a serious crime carrying a far higher maximum
penalty. For some individual offenses and types of offenses, special
provisions authorize conspiracy penalties equal to the penalties for the
object offense - see, e.g., 21 U.S.C. ? 846 (drug crimes) - but there is no
consistently applicable provision of this type for the crimes that are
likely to be committed by terrorists.
This section accordingly adds a new ? 2332c to the terrorism
chapter of the criminal code - parallel to the drug crime conspiracy
provision in 21 U.S.C. ? 846 - which provides maximum penalties for
conspiracies to commit terrorism crimes that are equal to the maximum
penalties authorized for the objects of such conspiracies. This will more
consistently provide adequate penalties for terrorist conspiracies. As in
various other provisions in this bill, the relevant class of offenses is
specified by use of the notion of "Federal terrorism offense," which is
defined in section 310 of the bill.
Section 304 Terrorism Crimes as Rico Predicates
The list of predicate federal offenses for RICO, appearing in 18
U.S.C. ? 1961(1), includes none of the offenses which are most likely to
be committed by terrorists. This section adds terrorism crimes to the list
of RICO predicates, so that RICO can be used more frequently in the
prosecution of terrorist organizations. As in various other provisions,
the list of offenses in section 309 of the bill ("Federal terrorism
offenses") is used in identifying the relevant crimes.
Section 305 Biological Weapons
Current law prohibits the possession, development, acquisition,
etc., of biological agents or toxins "for use as a weapon." 18 U.S.C. ?
175. This section amends the definition of "for use as a weapon" to
include all situations in which it can be proven that the defendant had any
purpose other than a prophylactic, protective, or peaceful purpose. This
will enhance the government's ability to prosecute suspected terrorists in
possession of biological agents or toxins, and conform the scope of the
criminal offense in 18 U.S.C. ? 175 more closely to the related forfeiture
provision in 18 U.S.C. ? 176. Moreover, the section adds a subsection to
18 U.S.C. ? 175 which defines an additional offense of possessing a
biological agent or toxin of a type or in a quantity that, under the
circumstances, is not reasonably justified by a prophylactic, protective or
other peaceful purpose. The section also enacts a new statute, 18 U.S.C. ?
175b, which generally makes it an offense for a person to possess a listed
biological agent or toxin if the person is disqualified from firearms
possession under 18 U.S.C. ? 922(g).
The section further provides that the Department of Heath and
Human Services enhance its role in bioterrorism prevention by requiring
registration of all research and public health laboratories and
manufacturing facilities that possess certain hazardous microorganisms and
toxins (the "Select Agents") that have a high national security risk;
requiring all such registered laboratories and manufacturing facilities to
meet regulatory standards regarding the physical environment within which
such Select Agents are maintained or used; specifying the qualifications of
individuals authorized to work with such Select Agents; and specifying the
institutional procedures for access to such Select Agents or the facilities
in which they are maintained or used.
Section 306 Support of Terrorism Through Expert Advice or
Assistance
18 U.S.C. ? 2339A prohibits providing material support or
resources to terrorists. The existing definition of "material support or
resources" is generally not broad enough to encompass expert services and
assistance - for example, advice provided by a person with expertise in
aviation matters to facilitate an aircraft hijacking, or advice provided by
an accountant to facilitate the concealment of funds used to support
terrorist activities. This section accordingly amends 18 U.S.C.? 2339A to
include expert services and assistance, making the offense applicable to
experts who provide services or assistance knowing or intending that the
services or assistance is to be used in preparing for or carrying out
terrorism crimes. The section also amends 18 U.S.C. ? 2339A to conform its
coverage of terrorism crimes to the more complete list specified in section
309 of the bill ("federal terrorism offenses").
Section 307 Prohibition Against Harboring Terrorists
18 U.S.C. ? 792 makes it an offense to harbor or conceal persons
engaged in espionage. There is no comparable provision for terrorism,
though the harboring of terrorists creates a risk to the nation readily
comparable to that posed by harboring spies. This section accordingly
amends 18 U.S.C. ? 792 to make the same prohibition apply to harboring or
concealing persons engaged in federal terrorism offenses (as defined in
section 309 of the bill).
Section 308 Post-Release Supervision of Terrorists
Existing federal law (18 U.S.C. ? 3583(b)) generally caps the
maximum period of post-imprisonment supervision for released felons at 3 or
5 years. Thus, in relation to a released but still unreformed terrorist,
there is no means of tracking the person or imposing conditions to prevent
renewed involvement in terrorist activities beyond a period of a few
years. The drug laws (21 U.S.C. ? 841) mandate longer supervision periods
for persons convicted of certain drug trafficking crimes, and specify no
upper limit on the duration of supervision, but there is nothing comparable
for terrorism offenses.
This section accordingly adds a new subsection to 18 U.S.C. ? 3583
to authorize longer supervision periods, including potentially lifetime
supervision, for persons convicted of terrorism crimes. This would permit
appropriate tracking and oversight following release of offenders whose
involvement with terrorism may reflect lifelong ideological
commitments. As in other provisions in this bill, the covered class of
crimes is federal terrorism offenses, which are specified in section 310 of
the bill.
This section affects only the maximum periods of post-release
supervision allowed by statute. It does not limit the authority of the
Sentencing Commission and the courts to tailor the supervision periods
imposed in particular cases to offense and offender characteristics, and
the courts will retain their normal authority under 18 U.S.C. ? 3583(e)(1)
to terminate supervision if it is no longer warranted.
Section 309 Definition
This section adds a new ? 25 to title 18 of the United States
Code, which defines the term "Federal terrorism offense." The term is
used in various provisions in this bill. The definition is designed to
cover the major crimes which are most frequently involved in or associated
with terrorism. The definition in the new 18 U.S.C. ? 25 is largely based
on an existing listing of terrorism-related offenses in 18 U.S.C. ?
2332b(g)(5)(B).
Subtitle B - Criminal Procedure
Section 351 Single-Jurisdiction Search Warrants For Terrorism
Rule 41(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure currently
requires a search warrant to be obtained within a district for searches
within that district. The only exception is for cases in which the
property or person is presently within the district but might leave the
district before the warrant is executed.
The restrictiveness of the existing rule creates unnecessary
delays and burdens for the government in the investigation of terrorist
activities and networks that span a number of districts, since warrants
must be separately obtained in each district. This section resolves that
problem by providing that warrants can be obtained in any district in which
activities related to the terrorism may have occurred, regardless of where
the warrants will be executed.
Section 352 Notice
The law that currently governs notice to subjects of warrants,
where there is a showing to the court that immediate notice would
jeopardize an ongoing investigation or otherwise interfere with lawful
law-enforcement activities, is a mix of inconsistent rules, practices, and
court decisions varying widely from jurisdiction to jurisdiction across the
country. This greatly hinders the investigation of many terrorism cases
and other cases.
This section resolves this problem by establishing a statutory,
uniform standard for all such circumstances. It incorporates by reference
the familiar, court-enforced standards currently applicable to stored
communications under 18 U.S.C. ? 2705, and applies them to all instances
where the court is satisfied that immediate notice of execution of a search
warrant would jeopardize an ongoing investigation or otherwise interfere
with lawful law-enforcement activities.
Section 353 DNA Identification of Terrorists
The statutory provisions governing the collection of DNA samples
from convicted federal offenders (42 U.S.C. ? 14135a(d)) are restrictive,
and do not include persons convicted for the crimes that are most likely to
be committed by terrorists. DNA samples cannot now be collected even from
persons federally convicted of terrorist murders in most
circumstances. For example, 49 U.S.C. ? 46502, which applies to
terrorists who murder people by hijacking aircraft,
18 U.S.C. ? 844(i), which applies to terrorists who murder people by
blowing up buildings, and 18 U.S.C. ? 2332, which applies to terrorists who
murder U.S. nationals abroad, are not included in the qualifying federal
offenses for purposes of DNA sample collection under existing law. This
section addresses the deficiency of the current law in relation to
terrorists by extending DNA sample collection to all persons convicted of
terrorism crimes.
Section 354 Grand Jury Matters
This section makes changes in Rule 6(e) of the Federal Rules of
Criminal procedure, relating to grand jury secrecy, to address three
problems. First, in national security and terrorism cases, the amendment
permits sharing of grand-jury information to intelligence and
national-defense personnel in terrorism and national-security
cases. Second, the amendment permits the distribution of grand-jury
information to law-enforcement personnel without the current requirement of
providing the judge supervising the grand jury with a list of the names of
every agent receiving the information. This requirement can be very
impractical in such cases; the current investigation involves thousands of
investigative agents. Third, the amendment clarifies that "matters
occurring before the grand jury" does not include pre-existing subpoenaed
documents and the like. While a number of courts of appeals have already
adopted this interpretation, some courts have taken a contrary view,
inhibiting distribution of such items to investigators in nationwide cases.
Section 355 Extraterritoriality
Under existing law, some terrorism crimes have extraterritorial
applicability, and can be prosecuted by the United States regardless of
where they are committed - for example, offenses occurring outside the
boundaries of the United States (see, for example, 18 U.S.C. ?? 175
(biological weapons offense), 2332a (use of weapons of mass destruction),
and 2332b (terrorism transcending national boundaries)). However, there
are no explicit extraterritoriality provisions in the statutes defining
many other offenses which are likely to be committed by terrorists. This
section helps to ensure that terrorist acts committed anywhere in the world
can be effectively prosecuted by specifying that there is extraterritorial
jurisdiction for the prosecution of all federal terrorism offenses.
Section 356 Definition.
This amendment would explicitly extend the special and maritime
criminal jurisdiction of the United States to U.S. diplomatic and consular
premises and related private residences overseas, to the extent an offense
is committed by or against a U.S. national. When offenses are committed by
or against a U.S. national abroad on U.S. government property, the country
in which the offense occurs may have little interest in prosecuting the
case. Unless the United States is able to prosecute such offenders, these
crimes may go unpunished. This section clarifies inconsistent caselaw to
establish that the United States may prosecute offenses committed in its
missions abroad, by or against its nationals.
TITLE IV - FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Section 401 Laundering The Proceeds of Terrorism.
Money-laundering under 18 U.S.C. ? 1956 involves conducting or
attempting to conduct a financial transaction knowing that the property
involved represents the proceeds of an unlawful activity specified in
subsection (c)(7) of the statute. Violations of 18 U.S.C. ? 2339A, which
prohibits providing material support to terrorists within the United
States, are already included as specified unlawful activities. This
section provides more complete coverage of money-laundering related to
terrorism by adding as a further predicate offense 18 U.S.C. ? 2339B, which
prohibits providing material support or resources to foreign terrorist
organizations.
Section 402 Material Support For Terrorism
18 U.S.C. ? 2339A prohibits providing material support to
terrorism. Under the statute's definitional subsection, the prohibited
forms of support include (among many other things) "currency or other
financial securities." This section adds an explicit reference to
"monetary instruments" to the definition. The purpose of the amendment is
to make it clear that the definition is to be taken expansively to
encompass any and all forms of money, monetary instruments, or securities.
Section 403 Assets of Terrorist Organizations
Current law does not contain any authority tailored specifically
to the confiscation of terrorist assets. Instead, currently, forfeiture is
authorized only in narrow circumstances for the proceeds of murder, arson,
and some terrorism offenses, or for laundering the proceeds of such
offenses. However, most terrorism offenses do not yield "proceeds," and
available current forfeiture laws require detailed tracing that is quite
difficult for accounts coming through the banks of countries used by many
terrorists.
This section increases the government's ability to strike at
terrorist organizations' economic base by permitting the forfeiture of its
property regardless of the source of the property, and regardless of
whether the property has actually been used to commit a terrorism
offense. This is similar in concept to the forfeiture now available under
RICO. In parity with the drug forfeiture laws, Section 403 also authorizes
the forfeiture of property used or intended to be used to facilitate a
terrorist act, regardless of the source of the property. There is no need
for a separate criminal forfeiture provision because criminal forfeiture is
incorporated under current law by reference. The provision is retroactive
to permit it to be applied to the events of September 11, 2001.
Section 404 Technical Clarification Relating to Provision of
Material Support to Terrorism
The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000,
Title IX of Public Law 106-387, creates exceptions in the nation's Trade
Sanctions Programs for food and agricultural products. This section makes
it clear that the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000
does not limit 18 U.S.C. ?? 2339A or 2339B. In other words, the exceptions
to trade sanctions for these items does not prevent criminal liability for
the provision of these items to support terrorist activity or to foreign
terrorist organizations as described in 2339A and 2339B. This is not a
change from existing law, but rather serves to foreclose any possible
misunderstanding or argument that the Act in some manner trumps or limits
the prohibition on providing material support or resources to terrorism.
Section 405 Disclosure of Tax Information in Terrorism And
National-Security Investigations
Taxpayer records maintained by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
are subject to strict rules regarding disclosure to other Government
agencies, detailed in 26 U.S.C. ? 6103. Although the law currently allows
for the disclosure of such information to non-Treasury personnel in
emergency circumstances, there is no terrorism-specific exception. This
section amends ? 6103 to permit disclosure of IRS-maintained information
to Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies who are part of a
joint investigative team with the Federal agency.
There is currently no mechanism for the release of tax information
to Department of Justice personnel involved in counterterrorism
investigations, nor a mechanism to allow those Treasury Department
components involved in counterterrorism analysis to disseminate such
information to the intelligence community. This section amends ? 6103 to
allow for the release of tax information to Department of Justice and
Department of Treasury personnel involved in counterterrorism
investigations and analysis, and to permit this information to be
disseminated to the intelligence community.
Section 406 Restraint of Property Subject to Criminal Forfeiture
Following the conviction in a criminal case, a court may order the
forfeiture of property traceable to the offense, or it may enter a judgment
in favor of the government for the value of that property if the traceable
property is unavailable. United States v. Candelaria-Silva, 166 F.3d 19
(1st Cir. 1999) (criminal forfeiture order may take several forms: money
judgment, directly forfeitable property, and substitute assets). To make
such post-conviction remedies effective, it is necessary for the court to
be able to restrain assets pre-trial so that they are available, in the
event of conviction, to satisfy the forfeiture judgment.
This section slightly expands the scope of the property that may
be restrained pre-trial to ensure that there are sufficient assets to
satisfy a judgment. Although some courts interpret current law to allow
pre-trial restraint of non-traceable assets, see In Re Billman, 915 F.2d
916 (4th Cir. 1990), others only permit the government to restrain assets
themselves traceable to the offense, see United States v. Gotti, 155 F.3d
144 (2d Cir. 1998). The proposed amendment would recognize that many
assets are "fungible," and assist the government's ability to deprive
terrorists of their assets without proving the assets they are able to
locate are themselves traceable to the offense. Without this amendment, in
courts that take the narrower view of the law, the government is unable to
preserve the assets of major crime figures during the trial to ensure that
they are available to satisfy a judgment in the event of a conviction. See
Gotti, supra (vacating pre-trial order restraining assets of organized
crime leader).
This section would permit pretrial restraint of substitute assets
only in criminal forfeiture cases, and only after a grand jury has found
probable cause to believe an offense giving rise to a forfeiture has been
committed. The property can actually be forfeited to the government only
after a petit jury has found the offense proved beyond a reasonable doubt
and returned a judgment of conviction. The amendment is made to the
Controlled Substances Act because the provisions governing criminal
forfeitures in drug cases are incorporated, by statute, into all other
criminal forfeiture statutes. 28 U.S.C. ?2461(c).
Section 407 Trade Sanctions Reform Act of 2000
The Trade Sanctions Reform Act of 200 requires the President to
end unilateral agricultural and medical sanctions with respect to foreign
entities and governments. The section would authorize Presidential control
of agricultural and medical exports to all designated terrorists and
narcotics entities wherever they are located. The section would authorize
the President to retain sanctions with respect to exports of agricultural
commodities, medicine and medical devices to designated terrorist entities.
Section 408 Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
Financial crimes admits of no border, utilizing the integrated
global financial network for ill purposes. This provision would apply the
financial crimes prohibitions to conduct committed abroad, so long as the
tools or proceeds of the crimes passes through or are in the United States.
TITLE V - EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATIONS
Section 501 Office of Justice Programs
This provision provides benefits to public safety officers
disabled as a result of the September 11 attacks, as well as grants to the
States for victim assistance. Consistent with 42 U.S.C. ? 3796(b), the
Department of Justice's FY2001 appropriations act places an aggregate cap
of $2.4 million on the benefits that may be paid to public safety officers
who have become totally disabled. A similar cap is found in both House and
Senate FY2002 bills. Section 501 removes all caps with respect to officers
who were totally disabled as a result of the September 11 attacks. This
would authorize OJP annually to pay approximately $120,000 to each
totally-disabled officer for life or while he remains totally disabled. In
the same way, the Department of Justice's existing grant programs to assist
States in aiding crime victims provide mechanisms to respond to the
attacks, 42 U.S.C. ? 10603b, but the amounts available to meet the need are
insufficient. Section 501 would authorize the spending of up to $700
million from balances in the Crime Victims Fund (currently $1.4 billion)
to assist States in their victim-relief efforts. The $700 million could be
dispatched almost immediately to the States affected by the terrorist
attacks, providing them with resources to supplement their own expenditures
in aid of the victims.
Current law limits OJP's authority to work directly with service
providers (as opposed to governments) under the circumstances created by
the September 11 attacks, and to coordinate and manage emergency-response
and other activities of its various components. 42 U.S.C. ?
10603b(b). The law also is unclear as to proper execution of certain
aspects of the Public Safety Officers Benefits program. Section 501 would
amend OJP's authorities in these areas, specifically by authorizing OJP to
work directly with service providers, in addition to governmental entities,
to expedite terrorism victim relief efforts, by enhancing its authority to
co-ordinate and manage emergency-response and other activities of its
various components, and by clarifying provisions governing the provision of
public safety officer benefits.
Section 502 Attorney General's Authority to Pay Rewards
Section 106 of the FY2001 DOJ appropriations act places a
per-reward cap of $2 million (and a $10 million annual aggregate cap) on
rewards that the Attorney General may offer. A similar cap is found in
both House and Senate FY2002 bills. Given the increasing sophistication of
terrorist acts, these limitations may hamper the Justice Department's
ability to bring the guilty to justice. Section 502 therefore would remove
these caps. It would authorize the Attorney General to offer or pay
rewards of any amount he or the President determines to be necessary for
information or assistance.
Cont'd below....
Section 503 Limited Authority to Pay Overtime
For the past several years the Department of Justice
Appropriations Acts have included provisions whereby Immigration and
Naturalization Service funds could not be used to pay employees overtime
pay in an amount in excess of $30,000 during a calendar year. In light of
recent national emergencies, the Section will lift this cap in order to
give the Attorney General flexibility in determining whether to authorize
overtime if necessary. The Department anticipates that the Attorney
General will issue Departmental guidance regarding when it is appropriate
to authorize overtime pay in an amount that would exceed the limitations
that have been lifted.
Section 504 Secretary of State's Authority to Pay Rewards
This section amends section 36 of the State Department's Basic
Authorities Act of 1956 to enhance the ability of the Department of State
to pay rewards to assist in bringing terrorists to justice. The section
would expand the bases for which the Department could authorize payment of
terrorism rewards, eliminate the overall limitation on the amount of funds
that can be appropriated to the Department to carry out the rewards
program, and eliminate the requirement that the Department distribute funds
equally for the purpose of preventing acts of international terrorism and
narcotics trafficking. This section also raises the amount the Department
could offer and pay under the program from $5M to $10M and allows the
Secretary to authorize payment of an award larger than $10M if the
Secretary determines that doing so would be important to the national
security interests of the United States.
Section 505 Assistance to Countries Co-Operating Against
International Terrorism
Subsection (a) of this provision would give important new
extraordinary authority for five years to the President to provide
assistance or take other beneficial actions in favor of countries that
support US efforts to fight international terrorism. Subsection (b) would
allow the President to provide anti-terrorism assistance to entities, as
well as countries, without being subject to any restrictions. Subsection
(c) allows the President to provide assistance for non-proliferation and
export control activities without restrictions. Both (b) and (c) also
include illustrative lists of the types of assistance that may be provided
pursuant to this authority.
The proposed bill's text is posted here.
Richard F.
I recall a few years back Louie Freeh telling Congress they needed these 'expanded wiretapping' authorities cause there was about 187 drug dealers they needed to get. Within the last 3 - 4 days here at FR, there was an article that said there had been some 5,000 or so wiretaps!! To 'catch' 187 'suspected drug dealers, congress was willing to put 280 million citizens' privacy rights on the line!
Of course, you are correct! There was a thread last night that 85% of Brits want National ID cards to 'save them from terrorists". And there was another thread wherein something like 76% of Americans are for encryption controls--they want the fedgov getting in their computers!!
Heaven help us....we have a President making demands on a Country that we ourselves would NEVER accept, i.e., allowing another country to come into our country at will to inspect this or investigate that or look at this or whatever....an absolute abuse of national sovereignty--especially in light of the nation in question NOT having taken an act of war against ours! Watch the incompentents we replace these people with; watch how we abuse them; and how many more people around the world come to hate the United States.
Atticus, are you sure you want me to flag you? I go to some very disheartening threads.
I usually don't bother anyone as most don't want to see these things.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.