Remote Access to Court Proceedings for Victims of the 1988 Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 Over Lockerbie, Scotland

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3250, a bill to ensure that the victims and families of the victims of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, have remote access to the court proceedings that will finally bring one of the perpetrators of this terrorist attack to justice.

Mr. Speaker, on December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 took off from London Heathrow Airport en route across the Atlantic to New York's Kennedy Airport.

Thirty-eight minutes after it took off, while flying high above Lockerbie, Scotland, a bomb set off by a Libyan terrorist exploded, destroying the plane instantaneously and taking the lives of all of its passengers, as well as the lives of 11 residents of Lockerbie, who were killed by falling debris--270 people from 21 different countries, including 190 Americans, were killed in this deadly attack.

For more than three decades, law enforcement officials in the United States and around the world have worked relentlessly to see that everyone responsible for the bombing is held accountable.

Thanks to their hard work, one of the terrorists behind the attack will soon face trial for his actions in Federal district court. Because the victims and their families are scattered in more than a dozen countries throughout the world, and many have reached an advanced age that makes travel very difficult, it is nearly impossible to ensure these victims and family members have meaningful access to the court proceedings without some sort of remote audio or visual option.

Unfortunately, the district court where the trial would take place has determined that it does not have the authority to permit such remote access--in other words, cameras in the courtroom, or at least live streaming.

This legislation, therefore, would provide statutory authority and instruction to the district court in this case to order and ensure that remote video and telephonic access to the trial proceedings be made available to the victims.

Now, that is not too much to ask for the victims of the Lockerbie tragedy. It is also not too much to ask on behalf of the American people who need and want to view the proceedings in U.S. v. Trump who can't get to Washington, D.C., to see it, but they would love to view it and hear it in live time, in real time.

Although the Lockerbie bombing occurred many years ago, the wounds are still fresh for the grieving families left behind. This legislation would help provide some level of comfort so that they can observe one of those responsible for this deadly attack being brought to justice.

I thank Senators Cornyn and Gillibrand for their efforts in bringing this important bipartisan legislation forward. I also thank my good friend, Representative Van Drew, Ranking Member Nadler, and Representative Chris Smith for leading this legislation in the House.

I urge all Members to support it.

Mr. VAN DREW. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the author of this legislation and I don't agree on much. We fight like cats and dogs, with me being the dog, but on this, we agree.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VAN DREW.

Mr. Speaker, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on American civilians in America's history. Now, 35 years later, we are on the verge of finally--finally--holding those responsible individuals accountable.

Let that be a symbol of America's unending pursuit of justice against those who would choose to do our country and our citizens harm.

I thank the families of the victims of this attack for their involvement with this bill and their tireless work in achieving justice for their loved ones.

I thank the bipartisan coalition both in the Senate and here in the House that helped this bill move rapidly to the President's desk.

I thank my good friend from Georgia for his support, and I thank Ranking Member Nadler. He is an important guy, and I certainly should thank him, as well. We appreciate his support and appreciate Ranking Member Nadler as well as, of course, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source