Catch-up payments for Khobar Victims
The U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSST Fund), established under the Justice for U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act (Victims Act), is mandated to distribute payments to victims of terrorism using funds seized from sanctioned state sponsors.
The Fairness for 9/11 Families Act (Fairness Act), enacted 12/29/2022, provided one-time lump-sum catch-up payments to certain Khobar Towers bombing and Beirut bombing victims.
274 eligible victims were misinformed by the DOJ-administered USVSST Fund that they were not eligible and should not apply for payments. This erroneous guidance caused them to be excluded from receiving the “catch-up payments.”
The Government Accountability Office, (GAO) issued a report in November 2004 explaining that flawed guidance issued by the USVSST Fund caused the 274 victims’ exclusion from receiving catch-up payments.
The GAO Report is a call to action to Congress to enact legislation authorizing the Department of Justice to release the frozen catch-up payment funds to the 274 claimants.
HR 4863, a bill sponsored by Representative Pete Sessions (Texas 17th) is pending before the House Judiciary Committee.
We urge Congress to swiftly enact the required legislation to correct this error and authorize the release of the $116 million already reserved for these victims.
The complete GAO Report and GAO overview on this matter can be found here: GAO Report
