Mercenary Training Control Act

Statement of the Honorable Bob Filner Regarding the Mercenary Training Control Act (9/20/2007)

Madame Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that would require mercenary training be conducted only on property owned by the federal government.

As you may know, Blackwater USA, a private military security contractor, already operates two private military-style training facilities: one in Moyock, North Carolina and the other in Mount Carroll, Illinois. Blackwater USA is also seeking to open a third facility in Potrero, California.

It is outrageous to allow private individuals or corporations to establish private military bases anywhere in the United States! The military-style training conducted at these facilities has no place in our backyards.

The federal government and U.S. military have also become too reliant on these private security contractors, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must stop this trend!

However, in the meantime, my bill will take the modest step of requiring government contractors, like Blackwater USA, to train only on property owned by the federal government, such as our military bases.

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[This bill accomplishes one important point, it defines Mercenary Training. It is very short, and so it is reproduced here (as well as being attached). -- Raymond Lutz ]

A BILL To require mercenary training to be conducted only on Federal Government property. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. REQUIREMENT FOR MERCENARY TRAINING TO BE CONDUCTED ONLY ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. (a) REQUIREMENT.—Mercenary training may be conducted only on property owned by the Federal Government. (b) MERCENARY TRAINING DEFINED.—The term ‘‘mercenary training’’ means military-style training of individuals who are not members of the Armed Forces to provide security services to the Federal Government, to contractors of the Federal Government.

-- Raymond Lutz - 20 Sep 2007

• FILNER_049_xml.pdf: Mercenary Training Control Act