[[{"fid":"123","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full"},"type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"1 7 16 Ranking Member Engel on Counterterrorism Screening","height":"380","width":"640","class":"media-element file-full"}}]]

- As Delivered -

WASHINGTON, DC—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement in support of the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act (H.R.4314) at a full Committee markup:

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  Happy New Year to you, and Happy New Year to all the members of our Committee.  I’m happy the Committee is getting back to work, and I’m happy to support our first measure today: Mr. Zeldin’s bill, the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act.

“The United States and our partners need to do whatever we can to stop terrorists and foreign fighters from traveling across borders.  Here at home, this bill would ramp up coordination among relevant government agencies.  Around the world, it would help our partners by speeding up the transfer of the software and technology we use to track international travel, to collect biometric data, and to assess the risk individuals might pose.  And this bill would put a particular focus on the countries where the danger of terrorists and foreign fighters is most acute.

“The bill is certainly a step in the right direction.  I thank Mr. Zeldin for his hard work.  I will support the measure and I yield back, Mr. Chairman.”

###