Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4863 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4863

   To amend the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored 
  Terrorism Act to provide for lump sum catch-up payments for certain 
  1983 Beirut barracks bombing victims and 1996 Khobar Towers bombing 
                                victims.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 1, 2025

 Mr. Sessions introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

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                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored 
  Terrorism Act to provide for lump sum catch-up payments for certain 
  1983 Beirut barracks bombing victims and 1996 Khobar Towers bombing 
                                victims.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. LUMP SUM CATCH-UP PAYMENTS FOR CERTAIN 1983 BEIRUT BARRACKS 
              BOMBING VICTIMS AND 1996 KHOBAR TOWERS BOMBING VICTIMS.

    Section 404(d)(4)(D) of the Justice for United States Victims of 
State Sponsored Terrorism Act (34 U.S.C. 20144(d)(4)(D)) by adding at 
the end the following:
                            ``(v) Lump sum catch-up payments for 
                        certain 1983 beirut barracks bombing victims 
                        and 1996 khobar towers bombing victims.--
                        Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
                        section, the following shall apply:
                                    ``(I) The Special Master shall 
                                authorize lump sum catch-up payments to 
                                those 1983 Beirut barracks bombing 
                                victims and 1996 Khobar Towers bombing 
                                victims who did not apply for those 
                                payments because of Department of 
                                Justice guidance that stated that only 
                                one application may be submitted for 
                                each claim and that Fund claimants 
                                previously found eligible for regular 
                                payment distributions are not eligible 
                                for lump sum catch-up payments.
                                    ``(II) Not later than 30 days after 
                                the effective date of this subclause, 
                                the Special Master shall publish such 
                                procedures and other guidance necessary 
                                to implement subclause (I). The Special 
                                Master shall permit 1983 Beirut 
                                barracks bombing victims and 1996 
                                Khobar Towers bombing victims covered 
                                by this clause to demonstrate their 
                                reliance on Department of Justice 
                                guidance through documentation of 
                                written or verbal communications with 
                                the Fund, a sworn statement that 
                                describes reliance on that guidance, or 
                                any other method identified by the 
                                Special Master.
                                    ``(III) The Special Master shall 
                                authorize lump sum catch-up payments 
                                pursuant to this clause from the 
                                reserve fund established in clause (iv) 
                                or from the Fund, to the extent 
                                sufficient reserve funds are not 
                                available.''.
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