SHAHEEN, AYOTTE INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO OFFER REWARD FOR INFORMATION ON THE MURDERS OF AMERICAN JOURNALISTS

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) today to introduce a bipartisan bill authorizing up to $10 million in rewards for information leading up to the arrest and conviction of any individuals involved in the kidnapping and murders of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

The bill would update the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program to offer a reward to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest or conviction of any individual responsible for committing, conspiring or aiding in the commission of the kidnapping and murders of Foley and Sotloff.

“The world lost two courageous and inspiring journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as a result of the cowardly acts of a barbaric terrorist group and their deaths must not go unanswered,” Senator Shaheen said. “James and Steven contributed greatly to the world through their reporting, and we must vigorously pursue those responsible for their murders.”

“I join all Americans in mourning the deaths of journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, who bravely risked their lives to help the world better understand the crisis in Syria,” Senator Ayotte said. “Terrorists around the world must know that if they harm Americans, we will hunt them down and bring them to justice.”

“James Foley and Steven Sotloff nobly risked their lives in the pursuit of truth, and the United States will not stand idly by after two of its own were brutally murdered at the hands of fundamentally evil and freedom-hating extremists,” Senator Rubio said. “This bill is a symbol of our commitment to their parents that America will not rest until justice is served, and let it serve as a clear message to ISIL that we will stop at nothing to ensure the deaths of these beloved journalists do not go unpunished.”

“The vicious murder of two innocent American journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, by ISIS is a stark reminder of the radical Islamic terrorism that threatens the United States,” Senator Cruz said. “There could be no better use for the Rewards for Justice program than the capturing or killing of these savage Jihadists who will only keep trying to destroy Americans until we stop them.”

Since the inception of the Rewards for Justice Program in 1984, the U.S. has paid more than $125 million to more than 80 people who provided actionable information that put terrorists behind bars or prevented acts of international terrorism worldwide.

A PDF of the legislation is available here.