Sponsors of Terrorism Have No Place in US (Rep. Vito Fossella)

In response to Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s visit to New York and, particularly, Columbia University next week, I intend to introduce legislation to severely restrict the movements of foreign leaders with ties to terrorism when in the United States.

My bill would prevent the leader of any country classified by the State Department as a sponsor of terrorism from participating in any event outside the United Nations. In fact, the legislation would put these propaganda tours out of business. If a rogue leader like Ahmadinejad has a reason to visit the UN, then his trip should be limited to the UN – with no stops on the terrorist lecture circuit or anywhere else. This bill would keep Ahmadinejad and others like him confined to the UN, their mission, their hotel and the airport – and hopefully back onto the first plane out of the United States.