Comprehensive legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to prevent terrorists from obtaining surface-to-air missiles, support key U.S. allies including Israel, and assist U.S. diplomats while conducting missions overseas and was signed into law by President George W. Bush today.

    “We rely considerably on the State Department’s diplomatic work to help us win the Global War on Terror. Therefore, American diplomats must have every means available at their disposal to successfully carry out U.S. foreign policy. The new authorities contained in this law enhance U.S. foreign policy and provides the State Department with more tools to effectively accomplish their diplomatic objectives,” said Smith.

    Among the new authorities granted to the State Department through the “Department of State Authorities Act of 2006” is the ability to withdraw any economic and military assistance to a country that knowingly transfers man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) to terrorist organizations or a foreign government that sponsors terrorism.

    “MANPADS are cheap, lethal and shockingly easy to obtain on the black market. We now have the means to prevent terrorists from getting their hands on these destructive weapons and using them to kill hundreds of Americans with a single shot,” said Smith.

    The “Department of State Authorities Act of 2006” reauthorizes and extends important new U.S. support programs to key U.S. allies the African Union (AU), the Holy See and Israel. The African Union’s newly established diplomatic mission to the U.S. and the Holy See’s Observer Mission to the UN will be granted diplomatic rights and privileges as a result of this new law. A program to offer Israel close to $5 billion in loan guarantees as been extended through this law, and a program to transfer obsolete or surplus stocks in the War Reserve Stockpile located in Israel to the Israeli Government has been reauthorized.

    “U.S. foreign policy cannot be successfully conducted without the steadfast support of our allies around the globe. This bill extends and offers new incentives to our allies to enable them to assist us as we fight the War on Terror and advance our shared agenda of promoting human rights, religious freedom, justice, equality and the rule of law around the globe,” said Smith.

    The new law also grants the State Department flexibility in the spending of fraud prevention and detection monies toward investigating a broad array of fraud, including fraud in connection with terrorist activities. Before this bill became law, the State Department faced legal constraints in tracking this type of visa fraud.

    “Our ability to disrupt terrorist travel is vital to protecting the homeland. By granting the State Department with the authority to spend funds to investigate all forms of visa fraud, we should be able to close the loopholes terrorists have used to exploit the system,” Smith said.

    The “Department of State Authorities Act of 2006” also includes provisions to:

• Strengthen the State Department’s ability to assist Americans caught in humanitarian crisis overseas by waiving passport fees for Americans unable to pay for emergency passports to return to the United States.
• Enhance the education allowance for overseas employee dependents to allow for travel to the U.S. for children when K-12 schools at posts are not adequate, for educational travel to a school outside the U.S. for children at the secondary and college level and for the option of storing a child’s personal effects near the school during his or her trip to post, rather than transporting the effects back and forth; and
• Establish a criminal provision that provides for penalties when an individual interferes with a Secret Service agent protecting a foreign dignitary.