Yoho Introduces Anti-Terrorism Bill

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ted S. Yoho’s (R-FL-03) re-introduced the State Sponsors of Terrorism Review Enhancement Act for the 115th Congress. This anti-terrorism bill passed the House last year. The bill will quadruple the time - from 6 to 24 months - a designated country must refrain from sponsoring terrorism, before a President, regardless of party, can remove it from the sponsor list. The bill also increases congressional oversight by doubling the time Congress has to review the President’s proposed removal--from 45 to 90 days. Congressman Yoho released the following statement:
 

“Today, I want to send a message to supporters of terrorism, if you are a state sponsor of terror; you will be held accountable and labeled a pariah in the world community. No nation that supports the murder of innocents should be delisted for politically motivated reasons—as was the case with North Korea. My bill will protect against such egregious actions.
 

“My bill will establish a uniform process through which Congress can disapprove of a President’s decision to remove a country from the state sponsor of terrorism list. This legislation will assert Congressional scrutiny and oversight -- and hopefully bring to an end politically motivated de-listings. Successive Administrations, Republican and Democrat alike, delisted countries based on their presidential legacy rather than the facts.
 

“This bill will stop absurd de-listings like that of North Korea in 2008. North Korea was de-listed in exchange for their promises of dismantling their nuclear program. However, 9 years and 5 nuclear tests later they remain off the list—this rescission from the list has enabled North Korea to engage in supporting terrorism abroad---By increasing the amount of time for a state to not be engaged in terrorism and increasing congressional oversight and scrutiny, my legislation will not allow mistakes such as the delisting of North Koreas to take place.
 

“By increasing the amount of time for a state to show they are not engaged in terrorism and increasing congressional oversight and scrutiny, we will force countries to prove they are not bad actors.”