Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, in 1983, 241 American servicemen in Beirut were killed and another 60 injured by a car bomb.
One of the Marines murdered was my constituent, Paul Innocenzi III, who lived with his young family in my hometown of Hamilton. In my second term as Congressman, I joined mourners at his funeral. I will never forget the agony and the sorrow of his family. Iranian terrorism killed Paul Innocenzi and, over the decades, has killed or maimed thousands of other Americans.
A Federal court, Mr. Speaker, found that the 1983 bombing was ``beyond question'' perpetrated by ``Hezbollah and its agent who received massive material and technical support from the Iranian Government.'' Later a three-judge Federal appeals court panel approved $1.75 billion in judgment against Iran for the 1983 bombing and some other Iranian acts of terror.
Today Iran is poised to get billions of dollars through so-called sanctions relief for an egregiously flawed comprehensive plan of action, money that will procure for Iran a significantly larger arsenal of sophisticated weapons and an enhanced capability to terrorize, murder, and destabilize.
The chairman talked about Iran's $21 billion weapons purchase from Russia. Billions more to Iran will exponentially increase weapons buys. The Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act authored by Pat Meehan says not so fast.
The President has said he will veto this bill. That is wrong, Mr. Speaker. That is uncaring, it is unacceptable, it is unconscionable. And does a grave disservice to American victims of Iranian terrorism.
Support court-ordered victim payments by the terrorist State of Iran. Fundamental justice demands that this bill become law.
Mr. Speaker, what was previously unacceptable--an Iranian nuclear state--is now inevitable under the terms and conditions of what is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Tragically, the deal is riddled with serious flaws, gaps, and huge concessions to Iran. Taken as a whole, this egregiously flawed deal poses an existential threat to Israel, our allies in the region--and poses significant risks to the United States.
Today Iran is poised to get billions of dollars through so-called sanctions relief--money that will procure for Iran a significantly larger arsenal of sophisticated weapons and an enhanced capability to terrorize, murder and destabilize.
The Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act (H.R. 3457) authored by Pat Meehan says not so fast.
The bill prohibits the President from waiving sanctions until Iran pays its more than $44.5 billion in court ordered damages to thousands of victims and survivors of Iranian terror attacks.
To date, the U.S. Department of State has refused to release funds ordered by the courts to victims and surviving families in more than 80 cases despite clear authority to do so under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA).
In 1983, 241 American servicemen in Beirut were killed and another 60 injured by a car bomb. One of the Marines murdered was my constituent WO1 Paul Innocenzi III who lived with his young family in my hometown of Hamilton. In my second term as congressman, I joined mourners at his funeral. I will never forget the agony and sorrow of his family. Iranian terrorism killed Paul Innocenzi and over the decades, has killed or maimed thousands of other Americans.
A federal district court found that the 1983 bombing was ``beyond question'' perpetrated by ``Hezbollah and its agents (who) received massive material and technical support from the Iranian government''. Later a three judge federal appeals court panel approved a $1.75 billion judgement against Iran for the 1983 bombing and other Iranian acts of terror.
The President has said he will veto this bill. That's wrong. That's uncaring, unacceptable, and unconscionable. Support court-ordered victim payments by the terror state of Iran. Fundamental justice demands that this bill becomes law.
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