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“ACTION ON FINAL RESOLUTION OF GIBBS AND HILL AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1336 on June 27, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ACTION ON FINAL RESOLUTION OF GIBBS AND HILL AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
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HON. DAN BURTON
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 27, 1995
Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice a specific and direct concern, and a demand for action from our State Department, over the inexcusable delay in the final resolution of the $43.4 million commercial claim of Gibbs & Hill against the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This claim is the last remaining unpaid claim under the special claims process established by the Congress in 1992 in recognition of a pattern of commercial abuse by the Kingdom towards the American companies working there during the period of the late 1970's and early 1980's.
Gibbs & Hill's story is not unlike that of all of the other American companies whose claims were satisfactorily resolved by Saudi Ambassador Bandar under the special claims process. Gibbs & Hill provided services to the Kingdom and was not paid for the services provided. The claim was notified to the Saudi Government for resolution under Ambassador Bandar's mandate to resolve these claims' and Ambassador Bandar pledged to spare no efforts in so doing fairly and expeditiously. This was more than 2 years ago. Since that time, a message on behalf of none other than the King has been provided to our country's representative in Riyadh that the claim was soon to be paid. Yet the claim still has not been paid.
We have included legislation in the fiscal year 1996 American Overseas Interest Act to further the policy of our country that the claim be favorable resolved for the company, as has been repeatedly committed to by the Saudis to our Government and the company. This is only the first of such steps the Congress can take to ensure that the wrongful acts of the Kingdom against Gibbs & Hill are rectified.
What is needed, and what is expected from our State Department, is its immediate and unrelenting effort to bring this matter to a successful conclusion, through the full and prompt payment of the claim, so as to conclude successfully the claims issue. Nothing short of this will be tolerated, nor is acceptable. The importance of the successful conclusion of this singular issue to our bilateral relationship cannot be overemphasized. Until it is resolved, it will continue to fester and threaten to undermine our relationship with the Kingdom.
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