Under the provisions of HB7806, the Secretary of the Treasury is mandated to set up the Fund within 30 days of enactment, with an initial appropriation of $20 million allocated for compensating eligible victims. The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission will play a crucial role in the claims process, as it must publish guidelines for filing claims and determine the eligibility of claimants. This fund would significantly impact the financial reparations provided to specific individuals who have been affected by state-sponsored acts of terrorism.
Summary
House Bill 7806, known as the Justice for the Living Victims of Lockerbie Act, aims to provide compensation to United States citizens who were living victims of Libyan state-sponsored terrorism. Specifically, the bill defines compensable individuals as U.S. persons employed by Pan American World Airways during the Lockerbie bombing incident, who were 45 or older on December 3, 1991, and who were alive on August 14, 2008. The bill establishes a dedicated trust fund titled the Living Victims of Lockerbie Claims Trust Fund to facilitate these payments.
Contention
A notable point of contention surrounding HB7806 pertains to the criteria for eligibility and the selection of victims to receive compensation. Opponents may argue about the definitive standards outlined in the bill and whether they adequately encompass all individuals who suffered due to Libyan terrorist actions, thus stirring debate over fairness and the adequacy of the compensation amount—especially considering the historical context of the Lockerbie tragedy.