A bill created to aid victims of terrorism called the "Omnibus Bill" is projected to help and support the victims of terrorism as they go through life. The bill is integrated at the end of the Consolidated Appropriations Act that was sanctioned and signed by President Barack Obama.
The New York Times reported how the victims being captived for more than 444 days and more than 30 years seeking restitution, the Americans taken hostage at the United States Embassy in Tehran during 1979 finally attained their claim for compensation.
Furthermore, the huge spending bill signed into law last Friday contains provisions that would provide 53 hostages or their estates up to $4.4 million. Moreover, those sufferers of other state-sponsored terrorist attacks such as those from the 1998 American Embassy bombings in East Africa are also eligible for benefits under the same law.
Furthermore, an estimate of $10,000 for every day of their captivity as well as $9 billion penalty would also be added as paid by the French bank BNP Paribas for defying sanctions against Iran, Cuba and Sudan as mentioned by The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, the Fund will also pay up to $20 million to victims of international who have received final court verdicts in opposition to countries such as Iran, Cuba, Sudan, Syria, North Korea, and other state sponsors of terrorism under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.
Also, in order to fund these payments, the legislation will render $1.025 billion in U.S. from the taxpayer funds in the Treasury, as mentioned by Lawfare. In addition, Thomas Lankford, the attorney that represented the former hostages as well as their families in a drawn out battle that persisted even after the courts as well as the U.S. government repetitively denied their wishes for restitution said, "Iran is not paying the money, but it's as close as you can get, and called the restitution gratifying after a long, long time."
The bill is a great blessing for those held in captivity for many years as these individuals and their families seek restitution for all the hardships they have endured while being taken captive. Furthermore, the bill is a clear description of the goals that the United States wants to impart to the world.
