U.S. Congress Takes Steps to Protect & Inform Terrorism Victims

By Andrew Cochran

In recent months, one or both houses of the U.S. Congress have passed measures designed to protect the victims of terrorism and to punish countries for their involvement with terrorist groups. Last week, the Senate attached "The Justice for Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Act" to the bill authorizing Defense Department programs. According to the office of Sen. Frank Lautenberg, one of the co-sponsors of the Victims of Terrorism Act, it would:

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

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

For instance, the bill would enable the seizure of $2.6 billion of Iran's investments abroad for damages to be paid to the victims of the 1983 Beirut embassy bombing, in which Iranian-sponsored terrorists killed 241 U.S. Marines. A long list of Senators from both parties back the Victims of Terrorism Act. That Defense authorization bill must now be reconciled with a version passed by the House which does not include the Victims of Terrorism Act. There is no official Bush Administration position on it, but I understand that the State Department has informed Congress of its opposition.

For the second year in a row, both houses of Congress have included a provision in their respective versions of the FY2008 Homeland Security appropriations bills to better inform the public and 9-11 victims' families of airline and airport security procedures in place on and before the attacks. Together, the provisions have enabled the legal representatives of the 9-11 families to access numerous documents about the security procedures.

Congress is also sending a message that countries which give up their sponsorship of terrorists must make restitution before enjoying the full benefits and privileges of a diplomatic relationship with the United States. Both houses have passed appropriations language which prevents full normalization of relations with Libya (see a Reuters story on Congress' actions) unless that country's government honors previously made commitments to compensate victims of Libyan-sponsored terrorist acts in the 1980s in Germany, in the skies over Lockerbie, Scotland, and elsewhere. The U.S. government's recent work with Libya on counter-terrorism efforts (see Olivier Guitta's post) and a very public relations campaign by Libya (see Aaron Mannes' post) have not blunted that bipartisan effort.

DISCLOSURE NOTE: I have presented the concerns and views of terrorism victims on the airline/airport security information issue and on the Libyan restitution issue before Congress.

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