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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Illegal Mining and National Security
Record date · January 1, 2020
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What This Bill Does
This document is a transcript of a 2019 Senate subcommittee hearing regarding the national security and human rights implications of illegal mining operations. The hearing featured testimony from officials at the State Department, USAID, ICE, and the FBI.
The hearing examines how illegal mining activities, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, are linked to and how these operations impact U.S. national security and international human rights.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
U.S. Department of State
Agency officials provided testimony and written responses regarding international policy and security.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Agency officials provided testimony regarding investigations into transnational crime.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Agency officials provided testimony regarding criminal investigative efforts related to illegal mining.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on December 5, 2019, by the Senate Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues.
- The hearing focused on the connection between illegal mining, transnational crime, and human rights abuses.
- Senator Marco Rubio cited investigative reporting by the Miami Herald regarding illegally mined gold being transacted through South Florida.
- Witnesses included representatives from the U.S. Department of State, USAID, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
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- The record includes written responses to questions submitted by Senator Benjamin L. Cardin from various agency officials.
- The record includes supplemental materials such as articles from the Miami Herald and a statement from the organization Global Witness.
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Use of Investigative Journalism in Oversight
The committee explicitly incorporated investigative reporting from the Miami Herald into the official record to frame the scope of the inquiry.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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