Victims of state-sponsored terrorism are urging Congress to include critical funding for the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund in the upcoming stopgap government spending bill, calling it their last hope for justice and compensation, The Hill reported.
Clayton Zook, a Michigan veteran and survivor of the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, is at the forefront of this effort. The attack, which killed 19 U.S. airmen and injured hundreds, left Zook with life-changing injuries and years of post-traumatic stress. The fund represents the only path to justice for him and other victims.
"It's the only means of justice for people," Zook said. "This is the only way to collect funds [and] collect some degree of justice."
The U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, established in 2015, compensates eligible victims with funds from criminal and civil fines tied to asset forfeitures. Since its inception, the fund has distributed over $6 billion.
However, advocates argue that the fund faces significant shortfalls, leaving thousands without the compensation they are owed. An estimated 18,000 victims with court judgments remain eligible for payments.
For two years, Zook has led a coalition of advocates, including 9-11 survivors, in lobbying for legislative changes to address the fund's challenges. He has pushed for a bipartisan bill to be included in the stopgap spending measure. The proposed legislation would guarantee annual payments to victims and strengthen congressional oversight of the fund.
Despite bipartisan support, Zook pointed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's hesitation to include the measure in the continuing resolution (CR) as a significant roadblock. "This legislation is a no-brainer. It's bipartisan," Zook said. "It should be good for America."
Zook, now 51 and employed as a civilian with the Army's Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, received only a single, modest payment from the fund despite a $7 million judgment against Iran, which was implicated in the Khobar Towers attack. His concern is growing as time runs short to advance the bill.
"If the bill isn't passed this year, it may never happen," Zook warned, expressing fears about a potential second Trump administration. "[President-elect Donald] Trump's a wild card."
He emphasized the stakes for victims and their families, recounting the immense toll on survivors. "Some victims in my community [have] husbands who were stationed at Khobar that have gone on and committed suicide — and they've not received a payment yet."