To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to increase the maximum amount of an award available under the Department of State rewards program, to expand the eligibility criteria to receive an award, to authorize nonmonetary awards, to publicize the existence of the rewards program, and for other purposes.

February 6, 2004

Mr. HYDE (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, and Mr. KIRK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to increase the maximum amount of an award available under the Department of State rewards program, to expand the eligibility criteria to receive an award, to authorize nonmonetary awards, to publicize the existence of the rewards program, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Counter-Terrorist and Narco-Terrorist Rewards Program Act'.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF STATE COUNTER-TERRORIST AND NARCO-TERRORIST REWARDS PROGRAM.

(a) Program Name- Section 36 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2708) is amended--

(1) in the section heading by inserting `counter-terrorist and narco-terrorist' after `state'; and

(2) in subsection (a)(1) by adding at the end the following new sentence: `The program shall be known as the `Department of State Terrorist and Narco-Terrorist Rewards Program'.'.

(b) Disruption of Terrorist Financing Network- Subsection (b) of such section is amended--

(1) in paragraph (5) by striking `or' at the end;

(2) in paragraph (6) by striking the period and inserting `; or'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(7) the disruption of financial mechanisms of a terrorist organization, including the use by the organization of illicit narcotics production or international narcotics trafficking--

`(A) to finance acts of international terrorism; or

`(B) to sustain or support any terrorist organization.'.

(c) Maximum Amount of Reward- Subsection (e)(1) of such section is amended--

(1) by striking `$5,000,000' and inserting `$25,000,000';

(2) by striking the second period at the end; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new sentence: `The Secretary may authorize a reward of up to $50,000,000 for the capture or information leading to the capture of Usama bin Laden.'.

(d) Forms of Reward Payment- Subsection (e) of such section is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(6) Forms of payment- The Secretary may make a reward under this section in the form of money, a nonmonetary item (including such items as automotive vehicles), or a combination thereof.'.

(e) Media Surveys and Advertisements- Such section is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsections (i) and (j) as (k) and (l), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after subsection (h) the following new subsection:

`(i) Media Surveys and Advertisements Authorized-

`(1) Surveys conducted- For the purpose of more effectively disseminating information about the rewards program, the Secretary may use the resources of the rewards program to conduct media surveys, including analyses of media markets, means of communication, and levels of literacy, in countries determined by the Secretary to be associated with acts of international terrorism.

`(2) Creation and purchase of advertisements- After the surveys authorized under paragraph (1) have been conducted and in accordance with their findings, the Secretary may use the resources of the rewards program to create advertisements to disseminate information about the rewards program among populations in countries identified under paragraph (1). The Secretary may purchase radio or television time, newspaper space, or make use of any other means of advertisement, as appropriate.

`(3) Advertisement for capture of usama bin laden- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the Counter-Terrorist and Narco-Terrorist Rewards Program Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report documenting a plan to increase advertising to maximize awareness of the reward available for the capture or information leading to the capture of Usama bin Laden.'.

END