ALBANY, NY – New York motorists may soon be able to help drive out terrorists every time they drive across town, thanks to legislation being acted upon today by the New York State Senate Transportation Committee.
Legislation sponsored by Transportation Committee chairman Senator Caesar Trunzo (R-3rd district) authorizes the creation of a new United We Stand specialty license plate, the proceeds of which will benefit the Rewards for Justice Fund, a non-profit organization that raises funds for one of the U.S. government’s most effective anti-terrorist programs, the Rewards for Justice Program.
The program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of State, has been highly successful in using reward payments to entice individuals with knowledge of terrorist plans and locations into revealing what they know.
Since its establishment in 1984, the Rewards for Justice Program has played a key role in the apprehension of dozens of terrorists around the world, including Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, who is now behind bars for his role in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. The bill being acted upon today will generate additional reward funds for the Rewards for Justice Program through the sale of the new United We Stand plates.
The Senate Transportation Committee, Senator Trunzo said, “Since September 11th, millions of New Yorkers have shown their patriotism by flying the American flag from their cars and trucks. This bill will shift patriotism into overdrive by allowing New Yorkers to turn their license plates into weapons in the war on terrorism.”
The bill will allow the state’s motorists to obtain a United We Stand license plate by paying $25 (twenty-five dollars) above the normal New York vehicle registration fee. The measure mandates that 100 percent of the proceeds raised from each $25 in additional registration payments will go to the Rewards for Justice Fund (www.RewardsFund.org).
The Fund, in turn, will give 100% of the dollars it raises from members of the public to the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program. The State Department program will use those dollars as a supplement to the federal funds that are paid to obtain information on terrorist plans and locations.
If the measure is enacted into law, New York will become the second state in nation to create a license plate that benefits the anti-terrorist Rewards for Justice Fund. Legislation mandating such a plate in Florida was signed into law on November 20th, 2001 by Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
While the bill authorizing the new United We Stand license plate makes it way through the New York State Assembly, New York motorists can show their support for the bill and pre-register for a new plate by logging onto www.RewardsFund.org. Motorists in Florida, which adopted a United We Stand license plate two months ago, have streamed to the Web site to sign up for the plates.
The design for the New York United We Stand license plate, which was unveiled during Transportation Committee hearing, features the Statue of Liberty and a red, white and blue banner declaring “United We Stand.”
In addition to registering for a new United We Stand license plate, New York residents, like all Americans, can also make contributions directly to the Rewards for Justice Fund by logging onto www.RewardsFund.org, or by calling toll-free 1-877-392-7373 and making a donation with their credit card.
