[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 15, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S1481]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JUSTICE AGAINST SPONSORS OF TERRORISM ACT
Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I come to the floor to speak on two
topics. The first is the piece of legislation that I introduced last
year, along with the senior Senator from New York, Mr. Schumer, right
after the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. This bill is
entitled the ``Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act,'' or JASTA
for short. It makes minor adjustments to our laws that would clarify
the ability of Americans attacked on U.S. soil to get justice from
those who have sponsored that terrorist attack.
The Senate Judiciary Committee considered this bill last month and
reported it to the floor without any objection, so now it is my hope
that we can soon take up this legislation because this is important to
the victims of the 9/11 attacks. Actually, that is an understatement.
This bill, if signed into law, will hopefully help victims and their
families achieve the closure that they so terribly need from this
horrific tragedy. But this legislation is more than that. As our Nation
confronts new and expanding terror networks that are targeting our
citizens, stopping the funding source for terrorists grows even more
important. So I hope Senators can work together to get this critical
bipartisan bill done soon.
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