“Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 2195) to deny admission to the United States to any representative to the United Nations who has been found to have been engaged in espionage activities or a terrorist activity against the United States and poses a threat to United States national security interests, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House”, said Rep. Goodlatte.
On April, 10, 2014 Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute regarding espionage by United Nations representatives:
“Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 2195) to deny admission to the United States to any representative to the United Nations who has been found to have been engaged in espionage activities or a terrorist activity against the United States and poses a threat to United States national security interests, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.”
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
The text of the bill is as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. VISA LIMITATION FOR CERTAIN REPRESENTATIVES TO THE UNITED NATIONS.
Section 407(a) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (8 U.S.C. 1102 note) is amended–
(1) by striking “such individual has been found to have been engaged in espionage activities” and inserting the following: “such individual–
“(1) has been found to have been engaged in espionage activities or a terrorist activity (as defined in section 212(a)(3)(B)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(iii)))”; and
(2) by striking “allies and may pose” and inserting the following: “allies; and
“(2) may pose”.
The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Congressional Record, April 10, 2014
This “blip” in the Congressional record struck me as odd, given the fact that the United States routinely spies on members of the United Nations. One cable leaked to the press in 2010, classified as “secret” was issued by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on July 31, 2009, in which she issued a directive to American diplomats to collect information to pass on to the intelligence agencies, including foreign associates’ credit cards, passwords and frequent flyer numbers that could be used to track a person’s movements. She also order US United Nations representatives and staff to collect DNA samples on Ban Ki Moon and other high ranking UN officials?
See related article: Spying on United Nations leaders by United States diplomats http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spying_on_United_Nations_leaders_by_United_States_diplomats
See also: Cables show US sought personal info of foreign diplomats at UN http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Cables-show-US-sought-personal-info-of-foreign-diplomats-at-UN/articleshow/7007291.cms?referral=PM