Senate Passes Lautenberg, Specter Legislation To Provide Jutice For Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism

Measure Would Empower Victims to Pursue Assets of Countries Like Iran That Sponsor Terror

December 14, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today approved landmark bipartisan legislation authored by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) to provide justice for victims of state-sponsored terrorism by giving them their day in court and helping them pursue the assets of countries that support terrorism. The legislation was included in the final conference version of the FY 2008 Department of Defense Authorization bill. The bill passed the House on Wednesday by a vote of 370 to 49 and now goes to President Bush for his signature.

“Far too many Americans have suffered at the hands of terrorism. My bill will allow victims of state-sponsored terror to have their day in court. It would let victims sue countries and hold those countries accountable,” said Sen. Lautenberg.

“I am pleased to cosponsor this legislation which gives the victims of terrorism and their families the ability to seek legal redress,” said Sen. Specter. “This bill reaffirms that the United States will not tolerate state sponsored terrorism.”

The legislation would amend the Foreign Services Immunities Act by allowing victims of state-sponsored terror to sue countries that support and promote terrorism. The measure also would allow these victims to seize hidden commercial assets for compensation if they win judgments in court.

“This legislation is important to the families of the victims of the 1983 Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. It will hold the government of Iran accountable for the murder of 241 men in this bombing, one of whom was my brother, Captain Vincent L. Smith (United States Marine Corps). The injustice of this over the long years has been a heavy burden -- the Iranian government has literally been getting away with murder for almost 24 years. The passage of this bill will bring justice by holding the criminals accountable for their crime. And I believe it will mitigate future terrorism. This bill is a huge statement of support for victims of terrorism, and a powerful way to fight terrorism without the use of military force,” said Lynn Derbyshire, who serves as the national spokesperson for The Beirut Families.

The legislation also was introduced as a bill -- the Justice for Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act (S.1944) – and is based on a 1996 amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act known as the Flatow Amendment, which enabled American victims of terrorism to pursue state sponsors of terrorism in court. The billwould:

* reaffirm the rights of plaintiffs to sue state sponsors of terrorism;

* allow the seizure of hidden commercial assets belonging to terrorist states so victims of terrorism can be justly compensated;

* limit the number of appeals that a terrorist state can pursue in U.S. courts;

* provide foreign nationals working for the U.S. government these same benefits if they are victimized in a terrorist attack during their official duties; and

* Limit the number of appeals that the terror state can pursue in U.S. courts.

U.S. District Court ruled in September that Iran owed the families of the 1983 bombing of the Beirut Marine Barracks, which killed 241 servicemen, $2.656 billion in damages for this attack. This legislation will enable these victims of terrorism to receive justice and obtain these damages.

The original bill has an impressive bipartisan list of 30 cosponsors, including Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Trent Lott (R-MS), Joseph Biden (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX ), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Robert Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ted Stevens (R-AK), Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Sen. James Inhoffe (R-OK), Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE), Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

Source: Senator Frank R. Lautenberg

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