SCHUMER CO-SPONSORS BIPARTISAN TAYLOR FORCE ACT, WHICH WILL CUT U.S. FUNDS THAT DIRECTLY BENEFIT THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY UNLESS PAYMENTS TO ?TERRORISTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE HALTED
Legislation is Named for Taylor Force, An American Student Who Was Tragically Killed By a Palestinian Terrorist in Israel Last Year; Relatives of the Terrorist Who Killed Taylor Force—And Other Terrorists Who Have Committed Heinous Acts--Are Being Paid a Monthly Stipend From the ‘Palestinian Authority Martyr’s Fund’
Taylor Force Act Aims to Stop Palestinian Authority’s Policy of Rewarding Terrorists & Their Families By Restricting U.S. Funds That Benefit the PA, Unless They Cease This Noxious Practice
Schumer: Palestinian Authority’s Practice of Providing Payments to Terrorists is Abhorrent, Perpetuates the Cycle of Violence & Undercuts the Drive to Peace; This Legislation Sends A Clear Message That The PA Must End This Disturbing Practice
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that he plans to co-sponsor the bipartisan Taylor Force Act. The legislation is named for an American graduate student who was tragically killed in a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv last year. The legislation would restrict U.S. funds to the West Bank and Gaza that directly benefit the Palestinian Authority until the Secretary of State can certify that the Palestinian Authority has terminated payments to individuals, or family members of individuals, who have conducted and been tried and imprisoned for acts of terrorism. Currently, the Palestinian Authority provides stipends to terrorists and their families. Schumer says this legislation makes clear to the PA that they must end this disturbing practice.
“President Abbas must be held accountable for the Palestinian Authority’s record of incitement and must stop subsidizing terror. It’s abhorrent that the Palestinian Authority provides payments to terrorists and families of those who have committed terrorist violence against Israelis and Americans and others,” said U.S. Senator Schumer. “I am a proud co-sponsor of the Taylor Force Act because it aims to put an end to this disturbing practice, which only perpetuates the cycle of violence and undercuts the drive to peace. This bill will also honor the memory and sacrifice of Taylor Force.”
Taylor Force, of Texas, graduated from West Point and served in Afghanistan and Iraq. As part of his studies as a graduate student at Vanderbilt University, Force visited Israel last year. In March, Force was fatally stabbed by a terrorist in Tel Aviv and others were injured. The assailant’s family has been rewarded by the Palestinian Authority for his terrorist act and is being paid a monthly stipend under the Palestinian Authority Martyr’s Fund.
While the United States does not provide direct budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority, it does pay certain debts and funds programs which the Palestinian Authority would otherwise be responsible for.
The Taylor Force Act would restrict U.S. funds to the West Bank and Gaza that directly benefit the Palestinian Authority until the Secretary of State can certify that the Palestinian Authority terminates payments to individuals or family members of individuals who have been tried and imprisoned for acts of terrorism, and revokes any law, decree, regulation, or document authorizing or implementing the payment system for terrorists, and is taking credible steps to end acts of violence against Israeli citizens and United States citizens perpetrated by citizens under its jurisdictional control.
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