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Bill114th CongressFiled Sep 9, 2015International Affairs
H.R. 3457

Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act

Bill journey · stage 2 of 5

Under committee review

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What it doesSummary passed house amended (Oct 1, 2015)

Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act

(Sec. 2) This bill prohibits the President, until Iran has paid each judgment against it, from:

  • limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying them; or
  • removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury.

These sanctions are the ones contained in:

  • sections 4 through 7.9 of Annex II of the JCPA; and
  • any other agreement related to Iran's nuclear program that includes the United States, commits the United States to take action, or pursuant to which the United States commits or otherwise agrees to take action, regardless of the form it takes, whether a political commitment or otherwise, and regardless of whether the agreement is legally binding or not.

A judgment is any final judgment entered by the courts of the United States or of the states that:

  • relates to a claim brought against Iran or its political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities and for which the court determined that none of them were immune under specified terrorism exceptions from the court's jurisdiction; and
  • was entered between April 24, 1996, and the date of the enactment of this Act.

The JCPA is the agreement signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, by Iran, China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and all related implementing materials and agreements.

What just happenedOct 5, 2015

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Who’s behind it

Rep. Meehan, Patrick [R-PA-7](R-PA)Sponsor
118 cosponsors118 R
Read on Congress.gov
118cosponsors2committees14actions1amendments3related bills11subjects
  1. Oct 5, 2015IntroReferral

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

    Foreign Relations Committee
  2. Oct 1, 2015FloorH38310

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  3. Oct 1, 2015FloorH37100

    On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 251 - 173 (Roll no. 533). (text: CR H6761)

  4. Oct 1, 2015Floor8000

    Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 251 - 173 (Roll no. 533).(text: CR H6761)

  5. Oct 1, 2015FloorH30000

    Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6778-6779)

  6. Oct 1, 2015FloorH8D000

    POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 3457, the Chair put the question on passage and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Royce demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on passage until later in the legislative day.

  7. Oct 1, 2015FloorH35000

    The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H6768)

  8. Oct 1, 2015FloorH8D000

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3457.

  9. Oct 1, 2015FloorH8D000

    The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 3457, consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 1735 and for motions to suspend the rules.

  10. Oct 1, 2015FloorH30000

    Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 449. (consideration: CR H6761-6768)

  11. Sep 18, 2015IntroReferralB00100

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6143)

  12. Sep 9, 2015IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

    Foreign Affairs Committee
  13. Sep 9, 2015IntroReferralIntro-H

    Introduced in House

  14. Sep 9, 2015IntroReferral1000

    Introduced in House

Passed House amendedOct 1, 201536

Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act

(Sec. 2) This bill prohibits the President, until Iran has paid each judgment against it, from:

  • limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying them; or
  • removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury.

These sanctions are the ones contained in:

  • sections 4 through 7.9 of Annex II of the JCPA; and
  • any other agreement related to Iran's nuclear program that includes the United States, commits the United States to take action, or pursuant to which the United States commits or otherwise agrees to take action, regardless of the form it takes, whether a political commitment or otherwise, and regardless of whether the agreement is legally binding or not.

A judgment is any final judgment entered by the courts of the United States or of the states that:

  • relates to a claim brought against Iran or its political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities and for which the court determined that none of them were immune under specified terrorism exceptions from the court's jurisdiction; and
  • was entered between April 24, 1996, and the date of the enactment of this Act.

The JCPA is the agreement signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, by Iran, China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and all related implementing materials and agreements.

Introduced in HouseSep 9, 2015

Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act

This bill prohibits the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions against Iran under any provision of law, or refraining from applying sanctions pursuant to requirements under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (as amended by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015) for any nuclear agreement with Iran, until the President has certified to Congress that Iran has paid each judgment:

  • that was brought against it, or against it and any other country;
  • for which Iran was not immune from the jurisdiction of U.S. courts under specified terrorism exceptions to immunity under the judicial code; and
  • that was entered during the period March 4, 2000-May 22, 2015.
Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act — Informed