[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 201 (Wednesday, December 6, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5803]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING REMOTE ACCESS TO COURT PROCEEDINGS FOR VICTIMS OF THE 1988 
         BOMBING OF PAN AM FLIGHT 103 OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND

  Mr. SCHATZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of 
S. 3250 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3250) to provide remote access to court 
     proceedings for victims of the 1988 Bombing of Pan Am Flight 
     103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Cornyn 
amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as 
amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the 
motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1372) was agreed to, as follows:

                     (Purpose: To improve the bill)

       On page 3, lines 11 and 12, strike ``that remote video and 
     telephonic access to proceedings in the case be made 
     available'' and inserting ``that reasonable efforts be made 
     to make remote video and telephonic access to proceedings in 
     the case available''.

  The bill (S. 3250), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 3250

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REMOTE ACCESS TO COURT PROCEEDINGS FOR VICTIMS OF 
                   THE 1988 BOMBING OF PAN AM FLIGHT 103 OVER 
                   LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND.

       (a) Definition of Victim of Crimes Associated With the 
     Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.--In this section:
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the term 
     ``victim of crimes associated with the bombing of Pan Am 
     Flight 103'' means any individual--
       (A) who suffered direct or proximate harm as a result of 
     the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 that occurred over 
     Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, and was present at 
     or near the scene of the bombing when it occurred, or 
     immediately thereafter; or
       (B) who is the spouse, legal guardian, parent, child, 
     brother, sister, next of kin, or other relative of, or who is 
     determined by the applicable district court of the United 
     States to be an individual who possesses a relationship of 
     similar significance to, an individual described in 
     subparagraph (A) or an individual otherwise described in this 
     subsection.
       (2) Limitation.--The term ``victim of crimes associated 
     with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103'' does not include an 
     individual who participated or conspired in the crimes 
     associated with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
       (b) Authorization.--
       (1) In general.--On and after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, and notwithstanding any provision of the Federal Rules 
     of Criminal Procedure or other law or rule to the contrary, 
     in order to permit victims of crimes associated with the 
     bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 to access court proceedings in 
     the criminal case against Abu Agila Mohammed Mas'ud Kheir Al-
     Marimi and against any co-conspirator subsequently charged 
     and prosecuted in a court of the United States for crimes 
     related to the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, the 
     district court of the United States in such a case shall 
     order that reasonable efforts be made to make remote video 
     and telephonic access to proceedings in the case available to 
     victims of crimes associated with the bombing of Pan Am 
     Flight 103.
       (2) No limit on location.--Remote video and telephonic 
     access to proceedings shall be made available under paragraph 
     (1) to a victim of crimes associated with the bombing of Pan 
     Am Flight 103 without regard to the location of the victim of 
     crimes associated with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
       (c) District Court Discretion.--Nothing in this section 
     shall be construed to eliminate or limit the discretion of a 
     district court of the United States to control the manner, 
     circumstances, or availability of remote video or telephonic 
     transmissions where necessary to control the courtroom or 
     protect the integrity of court proceedings or the safety of 
     parties, witnesses, or other participants in the proceedings.

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