Speech #1030099365

The costs of the Trade Tower bombing were enormoussix lives lost. including a constituent of mine. over 1.000 Injuries. and an estimated $600 million or more lost in property and business disruptions. In light of these events we simply cannot afford not to be vigilant and concerned about International terrorism. An examination of the United States visa processing system at the State Department following the Trade Tower bombing. and the erroneous entry into the United States by radical Sheik Omar Abdul Rahman. disclosed serious flaws and outdated operations and equipment being used in the issuance of U.S. travel visas. The State Department in the 1990s is still. in many places around the globe. using 1950s microfiche technology to maintain a lookout list of possible terrorists and other undesirable elements. ineligible for entry into the United States. We here in the Congress have called for that outmoded system to be changed. and we are working on administrative and legislative solutions to improve the visa processing systems. A similar review of the criminal penalties currently on the books with regard to visa and passport fraud. and other offenses with regard to these Important travel documents. which also can facilitate the entry of illegal aliens capable of committing acts of terrorism against the United States. reveals a need for improvement as well. Recently. for example. it was reported that agents of the State Departments Bureau of Diplomatic Security arrested a document counterfeiter who had produced numerous forged U.S. travel visas. using a color copier. whose inauthenticity were almost undetectable. This is serious business. These agents need the most effective tools to do a very difficult job. which as this arrest shows. they are doing well. even with the limited tools with which they now have to operate. Currently. it is not unusual for major criminals convicted of passport and visa crimesmost of which are felonies--to receive light sentences. even probation. Now Is the time to change that. My legislation does so effectively by making the punishment fit the crime. The criminal penalties and categories of offenses with which the U.S. criminal justice system is concerned must proportionately reflect the seriousness of visa and passport crimes. My bill increases the maximum Imprisonment time for these offenses specified in title 18. United States Code. sections 1541 to 1546.