[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16896]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORISM ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 25, 2000

  Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3485, the Justice 
for Victims of Terrorism Act. This legislation strengthens federal laws 
designed to combat state sponsored terrorism, and I am pleased that it 
is finally coming before the entire House for a vote.
  The United States justice system is the envy of the world. We pride 
ourselves on affording due process to all who come before the court 
while simultaneously ensuring that no one is above the law. Confidence 
in our judiciary is the cornerstone of our democracy. Citizens need to 
know that if they are harmed, the government will stand behind them. 
This confidence is especially important when Americans are abroad.
  This principle was behind passage of the 1996 antiterrorism bill. The 
legislation gave American citizens injured by an act of terrorism the 
right to bring a private lawsuit against the terrorist state 
responsible for the act. Three years later Congress approved 
legislation which allowed the attachment of assets of terrorist states 
to satisfy judgements. The President was given a waiver in that bill 
which allowed him to block attachment of assets if it was in the 
interest of national security.
  H.R. 3485 allows victims of terrorism to satisfy judgements against 
foreign states by allowing assets frozen by the U.S. to be subject to 
attachment. The bill shields diplomatic property from attachment, but 
does not protect any property which has been used for any non-
diplomatic purpose including rental property.
  This issue has special importance for me because a native of 
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania has been trying to achieve some justice 
in this area of the law since his kidnapping almost 15 years ago. Mr. 
Joseph Cicippio was an employee at the American University in Beirut. 
On September 12, 1986, he was kidnapped by terrorists and held hostage 
for five years under terrible conditions including threats of death, 
physical violence and brutal interrogation.
  In 1997, Joseph Cicippio brought a suit under the 1996 terrorism bill 
against the Islamic Republic of Iran for his injuries. He received a 
judgement for $20 million in the U.S. District Court for the District 
of Columbia. Unfortunately, he has not received any portion of this 
judgement. The Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act would go a long way 
toward helping Mr. Cicippio and other plaintiffs like him who together 
have over $650 million in judgements against Iran. This bill sends a 
signal loud and clear that justice for U.S. citizens will not stop at 
the water's edge.

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