Senator Reverend Warnock secured an amendment in the Fiscal Year 2023 government funding bill to distribute additional long-promised funding to Americans taken captive in the Iran Hostage Crisis, their families and their decedents
The late Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson led the effort to secure funding for the hostages in 2016, however, the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund did not have sufficient funds to distribute full payments to these families
Senator Reverend Warnock secured $1.8 billion in additional funding to keep the country’s promise to Iran hostages, their families and their decedents
Senator Reverend Warnock: “As we approach the 42nd anniversary of their release, I was proud to help deliver on the commitment our country made years ago to the Americans taken captive in the Iran Hostage Crisis”
Washington D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) secured funding to keep the country’s promise to compensate the Americans taken captive in the Iran Hostage Crisis, their families and decedents. Senator Warnock continued the work of the late Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson to honor these Americans’ courage and sacrifice. Senator Warnock worked across the aisle with Senators Tom Cotton (R-AK), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to include this amendment in the Fiscal Year 2023 Government funding package.
“As we approach the 42nd anniversary of their release, I was proud to help deliver on the commitment our country made years ago to the Americans taken captive in the Iran Hostage Crisis,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Senator Isakson, whose seat I now hold, worked tirelessly to compensate these patriotic Americans and their families. I was proud to carry the baton and ensure our county kept its promise.
“The former Hostages and their families are grateful for Sen. Warnock’s advocacy over the last year in our struggle to receive full and final payment of the compensation promised to us by Congress in 2015. His tenacity helped ensure that money allocated to the USVSST in the Omnibus legislation will go a long way toward helping us achieve that end,” said Greg Scott, son of Iran hostage survivor Ret. Col. Charles Scott. “We are so pleased that Sen. Warnock had picked up the mantle once carried by his predecessor Sen. Isakson and thank him for taking on the role of Champion for us, the longest suffering class of Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism. We are confident that with him leading the charge we will finally see justice served.”
Thanks to Senator Warnock, approximately $1.8 billion will be deposited into the general U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund to be distributed on a pro-rata basis to all other American victims of terrorism, including Iran hostages, their families and their decedents. The amendment was co-sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
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