mr. chairman , i rise in support of the amendment and thank the gentlewoman from pennsylvania ( ms. hart ) xz4001680 for yielding to me and for introducing this amendment . 
let me say that this amendment makes important improvements in the financial provisions of the patriot act with regard to those who try to prevent terrorists from financing their operations . 
first of all , i think that trying to disrupt the terrorism operation is a legitimate issue to add to the list of predicate offenses covered under the rico statute . 
i am particularly pleased that there are some changes in the law to attempt to get at the informal money-changing operation called hawalas when those hawalas are used to finance terrorist organizations , and more and more money seems to be transferred through the hawalas system ; and i am awfully afraid that that is not being done for legitimate purposes , but for the fact that the regular banking operations are under increasing scrutiny when money transfers take place . 
so i would strongly support the gentlewoman 's amendment , and i would urge the committee to adopt it . 
i thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me . 
