Speech #1100003090

Code. (page 5 of Zuckermans testimony) The 9/11 Commission also recognized the lack of routine prosecutions for passport fraud offenses. Page 386 of their report noted: Fraudulent travel documents. for instance. are usually returned to travelers who are denied entry without further examination for terrorist trademarks. investigation into their source. or legal process. Importantly. the bill we are introducing today directs the Sentencing Commission to reevaluate the current low sentencing guidelines for passport and visa fraud offenses to reflect the potential seriousness of these crimes and the changes made by our bill. Additionally. we will require the Sentencing Commission to report back to the Congress on the rationale behind their decision to change (or not change) the sentencing guidelines as a result of this direction. Majority Leader HARRY REID has repeatedly stated that one of the items at the top of the Democratic agenda early this Congress is the implementation of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. In addition to their comments on the lack of prosecutions. the 9/11 Commission had a lot more say about the use of fraudulent and altered passports and visas in the Commission of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "[W]e endeavor to dispel the myth that their [the hijackers] entry into the United States was clean and legal. It was not. . . . two [hijackers] carried passports manipulated in a fraudulent manner. It is likely that several more hijackers carried passports with similar fraudulent manipulation. Two hijackers lied on their visa applications" Preface. 9/11 Commission staff report. "To avoid detection of their activities and objectives while engaging in travel that necessitates using a passport. terrorists devote extensive resources to acquiring and manipulating passports. entry and exits stamps. and visas. The al Qaeda terrorist organization was no exception. Highlevel members of Al Qaeda were expert document forgers . . ." Page 1. 9/11 Commission staff report. "Travel history. however. is still recorded in passports with entryexit stamps called cachets. which al Qaeda has trained its operatives to forge and use to conceal their terrorist activities". Page 403. 9/11 Commission report. "[C]ertain al Qaeda members were charged with organizing passport collection schemes to keep the pipelines of fraudulent documents flowing." Page 186.. ibid "For terrorists. travel documents are as important as weapons. They must travel clandestinely to meet. train. plan. case targets. and gain access to attack . . . In their travels. terrorists use evasive measures. such as altered and counterfeit passports and visas .. Page 384. ibid. I hope that Senator REID plans to include the Feinstein/Sessions Passport and Visa Fraud Bill in his 9/11 Commission Recommendations Implementation Package.