What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025 This bill authorizes lump sum catch-up payments from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism (USVSST) Fund to certain victims of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing or the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing who did not apply for catch-up payments during the application period. The USVSST Fund is administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and provides compensation to certain U.S. persons injured in acts of international state sponsored terrorism and their immediate family members. The Fairness for 9/11 Families Act, enacted in 2022, authorized and provided funding for lump sum catch-up payments from the USVSST Fund to victims of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing or the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing. Claimants who were previously found eligible for regular payment distributions from the USVSST Fund were also eligible for lump sum payments, but the act required them to apply from December 29, 2022, to June 27, 2023. In a 2024 report, the Government Accountability Office found that up to 274 eligible victims did not apply for lump sum catch-up payments because of DOJ guidance that stated, in part, that claimants who were previously found eligible for regular payment distributions are not eligible for the lump sum catch-up payments.
Action Timeline
2025-08-01
Introduced in House
2025-08-01
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
2025-08-01
Introduced in House
Frequently Asked Questions
Did HR.4863 pass?
HR.4863 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: pending.
What does HR.4863 do?
Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025 This bill authorizes lump sum catch-up payments from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism (USVSST) Fund to certain victims of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing or the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing who did not apply for catch-up payments during the application period. The USVSST Fund is administered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and provides compensation to certain U.S. persons injured in acts of international state sponsored terrorism and their immediate family members. The Fairness for 9/11 Families Act, enacted in 2022, authorized and provid…
Who sponsored HR.4863?
HR.4863 was sponsored by Pete Sessions (R-Texas).
Full Bill Text
119 HR 4863 IH: Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives 2025-08-01 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4863 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 1, 2025 Mr. Sessions introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025 . 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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