Congressman Robert Hurt Votes for Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism

Thursday, October 1, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after the House passed the Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act, which would prohibit waiving, suspending, or limiting any sanctions currently in place against Iran until it pays the court-ordered damages it owes to terror victims:

"The Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act ensures that Iran will not receive any sanction relief until it pays its debts to the victims of its violent acts of terror.  The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act gives American victims of state-sponsored terrorism the ability to sue and collect damages from the states responsible.  Iran is the world's largest state sponsor of terror, but it has yet to pay one penny of these court-ordered damages.  Despite its refusal to pay for the terrorism it has perpetrated, the Obama Administration will grant Iran relief from the highly-effective sanctions, handing it a tremendous economic boost.  This legislation is simple; it ensures that the United States does not give Iran any economic benefit in the form of sanction relief until it has paid damages to the victims of its horrific acts of terror.  I was pleased to see the Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act pass the House today with bipartisan support, and I think we can all agree that Iran should not reap any benefits until it pays its victims what they are owed."