[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1124-E1125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ENHANCING TREASURY'S ANTI-TERROR TOOLS ACT

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                               speech of

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 11, 2016

  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Chairman Hensarling, 
Ranking Member Waters, Chairman Fitzpatrick and Ranking Member Lynch 
for the thoughtful and inclusive process that produced this set of 
bills. I would also like to thank Mr. Pittenger and Mr. Lynch for 
introducing this particular bill, Enhancing Treasury's Anti-Terror 
Tools Act (H.R. 5607).
  I am especially appreciative that the bill includes language to help 
address the remittances crisis facing Somalia. I am fortunate to 
represent the largest Somali diaspora in our nation. I have heard from 
my constituents that they are unable to send funds to their loved ones 
back home. They can't send money for school fees or for medicine. They 
can't send funds to help a loved one start a business. Banks have 
stopped providing bank accounts to money services businesses that send 
funds to Somalia. Very few banks still provide wire transfers to the 
people of Somalia. As remittances from abroad are critical to the 
economy of this fragile nation, we are creating a humanitarian crisis 
which is also a national security problem.
  We need to address this crisis. Money is going to flow: either in the 
system or outside of it. It is in everyone's best interest to provide 
Somali Americans the ability to safely and transparently send money to 
loved ones in their home nation.
  This pilot program idea grew out of my frustration with finding a 
solution. I would like to see financial institutions and their 
regulators act proactively to keep the remittances pipeline open and 
safe. That's why I so appreciate Mr. Pittenger and Mr. Lynch including 
language I suggested requiring the Treasury Department to study the 
potential impact of a pilot program for humanitarian funds to Somalia.
  Somalia is improving; it recently passed an Anti-Money Laundering Law 
and appointed an ambassador to the U.S. The U.S. has acknowledged the 
government of Somalia and for the first time in decades, has an 
ambassador to that nation. The need to address the

[[Page E1125]]

remittances crisis is urgent. I appreciate the Chairman, Ranking Member 
and my colleagues' commitment to addressing the remittances crisis 
which hinders Somalia's ability to become a stronger more functional 
nation.

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