pratt barack obama has announced changes in how the government will handle kidnapping of its citizens. 30 americans are being held hostage, and the bill clears the way for families to pay ransom to their abductors without fear of prosecution. families said that they were threatened with prosecution but a ban directly on paying ransoms or concessions to armed groups will remain in place. >> we just learned at the white house that more than 30 americans are being held hostage overseas. this is an i don't on going issue. the families have been incredibly vocal saying that the u.s. government treated them horribly. they came out several times and said often these families were ignored. worse they were bullied. they were threatened to face criminal prosecution if they paid ransom for aiding terrorist group. they're choosing their words very carefully. they're not saying that it's fine to go and pay ransom, they're only saying that no family has been tried criminally for doing so. they said they will not directly aid the paying of ransom. >> as president i also have to consider our larger n

pratt barack obama acknowledged the problem. families ignored bullied and threated with prosecution if they paid ransom. instead he would only the say that no families have been prosecuted for it. >> as president i also have to consider our larger national security. i firmly believe that the united states government paying ransom to terrorists risks endangering more americans and funding the very terrorism that we're trying to stop. i firmly believe that our policy morepolicy puts fewer americans at risk. >> by lifting that long-held principle you could be endangering more americans here and overseas. >> ultimately i think you're likely to marginally increase the incentive it's for people to kidnap americans. >> after incentivizeing hostage taking, they could not answer instead saying. >> message that we're sending is that the government of united states of america stands squarely behind american families who are in the unthinkable position. >> changes that will come too late for those journalists and aid workers but with more t