Washington, DC: Congressman Ron Paul yesterday introduced legislation designed to enhance the government’s ability to prevent future terrorist attacks. The “Securing American Families Effectively Act,” or SAFE Act, makes urgently needed common sense changes to federal law – changes that make all of us safer in the war on terrorism. Paul’s legislation also carefully protects the civil liberties of American citizens. “I want terrorists to feel threatened, not the American people,” Paul stated.

The SAFE Act adopts several proposals set forward by President Bush and Attorney General Ashcroft, while adding novel ideas that give law enforcement new tools to fight terrorism.

The Act eliminates red tape that prevents various federal law enforcement agencies from easily sharing information about terrorists. The Act also ends federal rules that effectively give terrorist suspects “extra-legal” rights. A key provision of Paul’s legislation abolishes the statute of limitations for terrorist offenses, while enhancing penalties and prison sentences for convicted terrorists.

The SAFE Act also ends or restricts immigration, including the granting of student visas, from countries that sponsor or harbor terrorists. “Given current conditions, we should not be granting visas to people from countries that engage in acts of terror against the U.S. or refuse to cooperate in our anti-terrorist efforts,” Paul continued. “More than ever, the State department has an obligation to refuse entrance to people who may be threats to our national security.”

Debate in the House of Representatives over counter-terrorism proposals is scheduled to begin later this week.

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