Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, $21 billion for Russian jets, but not a penny for the victims of their own acts of terror. That is what my colleagues are trying to say? In fact, the President can negotiate it. Let him reach an installment plan, but let's make sure that these dollars are paid.

Look, this is a fundamental question: Should Iran receive relief from the U.S. sanctions before it pays the victims of terrorism the $43 billion that U.S. courts say these victims are owed?

When we say ``terrorism,'' what are we talking about? We are talking about Iranian-backed assassinations, bombings, and attacks across time zones, from Paris to Jerusalem, to New York, to Beirut, to East Africa, to Buenos Aires.

I say not one cent.

These victims are United States citizens. They are wives, brothers and sisters, children who hail from all across the Nation, and they were killed in hijackings and suicide attacks and bombings of buses and planes and buildings and embassies and shopping malls and pizza parlors.

In fact, I met with one of those victims this morning and yesterday, the widow of Kenneth Welch and his child. They are here in Washington today. They have been waiting 30 years for the opportunity to see this issue addressed.

My friends, by voting against this legislation, you are saying that Iran and the perpetrators of these atrocities deserve U.S. sanctions relief before the victims deserve the court-ordered compensation. Let me say it again. By voting ``no,'' you are putting the interests of Iran's terror machine before the American victims of that terror. I say not 1 cent.

To those who say Iran can't afford to pay these damages, let me remind you of a few facts. Iran has a yearly gross domestic product in excess of $1.3 trillion, and they just spent $21 billion on Russian jets. The facts show that Iran has the money and will have much more if the sanctions are lifted, money that our own administration freely admits will go to finance even more terror.

I sat yesterday with Ken Stethem, the brother of Robert Stethem, the United States Navy diver who was executed on Beirut Flight 847. His brother Ken, himself a retired Navy SEAL, said to me yesterday, ``If the President doesn't take this opportunity and Congress doesn't take the opportunity to hold Iran accountable for their terrorist acts now, I have to ask them when will they. Thirty years for one family, more than 15 for another. When will they?''

He is talking to us. Let's answer him. Let's today stand up for the standards of U.S. Navy Petty Officer Robert Stethem. Let's today vote as one House to say we will put Robert Stethem and the many victims of Iran's terrorism before--before--the criminals who conspired to kill them.

Until they pay these victims what they are owed, let's say no to Iran, not 1 cent.

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