Justice for the Living Victims of Lockerbie Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6527
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-09: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-09T08:05:47Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The "Justice for the Living Victims of Lockerbie Act" (H.R. 6527) aims to provide financial compensation to specific U.S. victims who were employed by Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and affected by the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, attributed to Libyan state-sponsored terrorism. It establishes a dedicated fund and claims process to ensure these individuals, or their estates if deceased, receive equal shares of a fixed appropriation.
Key Provisions
- Definition of Eligible Victims: A "compensable living victim of Libyan State-sponsored terrorism" is defined as a U.S. person who:
- Was at least 45 years old on December 3, 1991.
- Was employed by Pan Am on that date.
- Was a named claimant in the lawsuit Abbott et al. v. Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Case No. 1:94-cv-02444-SS) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
- Was alive on August 14, 2008.
- Establishment of Trust Fund: The Secretary of the Treasury must create the "Living Victims of Lockerbie Claims Trust Fund" within 30 days of enactment. This fund receives a one-time appropriation of $42,066,338 from general Treasury funds, available until fully expended.
- Claims Process:
- The Foreign Claims Settlement Commission (FCSC), an independent agency that adjudicates international claims, must publish a notice in the Federal Register within 30 days of enactment, outlining a 60-day filing window for claims.
- Within 60 days after the filing deadline, the FCSC reviews and approves claims for eligible victims, certifying them to the Treasury.
- If a claimant is deceased, their personal representative (e.g., executor of the estate) can file on behalf of the estate.
- Payment Mechanism: Upon certification, the Treasury disburses payments from the fund. Each approved claimant (or estate) receives an equal share of the total fund amount ($42,066,338 divided by the number of certified claims).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new, targeted compensation mechanism outside of broader terrorism victim funds (e.g., those under the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act). It creates a standalone trust fund and expedited FCSC process specifically for this narrow group of Pan Am employees, bypassing ongoing litigation or general claims programs. No amendments to prior laws are specified; it operates as a self-contained appropriation and procedure.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Treasury gains responsibility for managing and disbursing the fund, while the FCSC handles a short-term, high-volume claims review (potentially dozens of claims). This adds administrative workload but is time-limited (claims resolved within ~150 days of enactment).
- On Citizens: Provides direct financial relief to a small, defined group of aging or deceased Pan Am employees (or their families) impacted by the Lockerbie incident, potentially offering closure after decades of unresolved claims. No broader public benefits or costs.
- On International Relations: Reinforces U.S. accountability for victims of Libyan-sponsored terrorism (e.g., the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland), which killed 270 people. It may signal continued pressure on Libya for past actions, though it does not impose new sanctions or diplomatic measures.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary Beneficiaries: Eligible former Pan Am employees (or their estates) who meet the strict criteria, likely a limited number of U.S. citizens involved in the original lawsuit related to Lockerbie.
- Government Entities: U.S. Department of the Treasury and Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, which implement the fund and claims process.
- Indirectly Affected: Families of deceased claimants and potentially Libya, as the bill references its state-sponsored terrorism without requiring Libyan contributions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Establishes a streamlined, non-adversarial claims process through the FCSC, reducing court burdens from the original 1994 lawsuit. It ensures equal distribution to avoid disputes over shares but limits eligibility to prevent expansive claims.
- Constitutional Implications: Relies on Congress's spending power (Article I, Section 9) for the appropriation, with no apparent free speech, due process, or equal protection issues, as eligibility is narrowly tailored to verified victims.
- Political Implications: Addresses a historical grievance from the Lockerbie bombing, potentially honoring bipartisan support for terrorism victims (introduced by Reps. Kim and Lofgren). It may set a precedent for ad hoc funds for specific victim groups but avoids broader foreign policy shifts, focusing on domestic compensation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (6)
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9], Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8], Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-09: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- 2025-12-09: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Justice for the Living Victims of Lockerbie Act — issued 2025-12-09 — PDF (5 pages)