The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA MUST SETTLE CLAIM OF HILL INTERNATIONAL, INC.” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1531 on Aug. 4, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA MUST SETTLE CLAIM OF HILL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
______
HON. DUNCAN HUNTER
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 4, 1998
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to show my respect for the claim filed by Hill International, Inc. against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Hill International is a New Jersey-based company located in the district of my friend and colleague, Representative Jim Saxon, and is one of nearly two dozen companies who filed claims against the Saudi government for tens of millions of dollars in uncompensated engineering work conducted in the late 1970's.
After years of trying to settle these claims, Congress was forced to set up a claims resolution process in 1993. Since then, the Kingdom has settled each claim save one--the $55.1 million debt owed to Hill International.
During the House consideration of the FY98 Defense Authorization Bill, I supported directive report language offered by Representative Saxon to commission a formal report on the status of remaining claims against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Similar language was by included by Representative Chris Smith in the State Department Reauthorization Bill that passed the House and Senate earlier this year. These efforts are intended to illustrate the lengths to which the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Prince Bander, has been willing to go to deny an American company payment for services rendered.
I am also interested in seeing this matter resolved in memory of the late Representative Bill Emerson, a dear friend of mine and someone who worked diligently on the Hill International claim prior to his passing. Bill Emerson successfully negotiated a claim against the Kingdom in his home district and graciously offered to broker a similar compromise on the Hill International matter. Despite six months of hard work by Representative Emerson and repeated assurances from Prince Bandar that Bill's good faith efforts would be honored, the Saudi's have yet to pay Hill International--full three years after Representative Emerson produced a fair settlement figure.
In that time, Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson has tried to help Hill International implement her husband's compromise, yet repeated requests for a face-to-face meeting with Prince Bandar have gone unheeded.
No matter how large or small the debt, this behavior cannot be tolerated from one of our allies. Until Ambassador Bandar decides to play a leadership role in this matter and until the Hill International claim is settled, my House and Senate colleagues will continue to take to the floor and highlight the Kingdom's failure to honor its debts.
____________________
