Victims Before Ransom Act

Bill: 114-hr-5949
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Lance, Leonard [R-NJ-7]
Introduced: 2016-09-07
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Government liability

International law and treaties

Iran

Middle East

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2016-09-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-09-07
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Victims Before Ransom Act</strong></p> <p>This bill prohibits the use of funds by the United States to make a payment to the government of Iran or an Iranian national relating to the settlement of any claim before the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal until the President certifies to Congress that Iran has paid all compensatory damages awarded to a U.S. person or entity in a final judgment of a federal or state court arising from an act of international terrorism for which the government of Iran was determined not to be immune from the court's jurisdiction.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5949 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 7, 2016 Mr. Lance (for himself and Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To prohibit the use of funds to make payments to Iran relating to the settlement of claims brought before the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal until Iran has paid certain compensatory damages awarded to United States persons by United States courts.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Victims Before Ransom Act . 2. Restrictions on certain payments relating to claims brought before the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal (a) In general No amounts authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for any fiscal year may be obligated or expended for a payment described in subsection (b) until the President certifies to Congress that the Government of Iran has paid all compensatory damages awarded to a United States person in a final judgment— (1) issued by a district court of the United States under Federal or State law against the Government of Iran; and (2) arising from an act of international terrorism, for which the Government of Iran was determined not to be immune from the jurisdiction of the courts of the United States or of the States under section 1605A of title 28, United States Code, or section 1605(a)(7) of such title (as in effect on January 27, 2008). (b) Payments described A payment described in this subsection is a payment by the United States to the Government of Iran or a national of Iran relating to the settlement of a claim before the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Act of international terrorism The term act of international terrorism includes— (A) an act of torture, extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage, or hostage taking, as those terms are defined in section 1605A(h) of title 28, United States Code; and (B) providing material support or resources, as defined in section 2339A of title 18, United States Code, for an act described in subparagraph (A). (2) United States person The term United States person means— (A) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States; or (B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States.