Sens. Cruz, Coons, Graham, Whitehouse Rally Bipartisan Support for American Victims of Iranian Terrorism
Senators joined amicus brief supporting victims; Supreme Court to hear arguments today
January 13, 2016
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Bank Markazi v. Peterson, a landmark case where over a thousand American victims of Iranian terrorism are seeking to recover nearly $2 billion in assets held by Iran. When the Supreme Court first announced it would hear this case, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined with Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), filing a bipartisan amicus brief to express support for the plaintiffs in their recovery efforts. The United States Senate also submitted an amicus brief on this case.
Specifically, the Cruz-Coons-Graham-Whitehouse brief defends Congress’ ability to legislate and act with specificity when considering foreign relations and combatting international terrorism, which is currently under scrutiny in Bank Markazi v. Peterson.
“Few matters that elicit legislators’ attention are more important than coping with the threat of transnational terrorism,” Cruz, Coons, Graham, and Whitehouse wrote. “Legislators recognize that ‘[c]utting off the financing of terrorist organizations is a critically important component of the war against terror’… Congress has the power to legislate in a manner that permits United States nationals to seek accountability from state sponsors of terrorism and to permit these same United States national victims to collect on judgments they properly obtain in federal court.”
The filing of both amicus briefs followed a hearing chaired by Sen. Cruz last November that focused on the federal government’s deplorable track record when it comes to supporting victims of Iranian and Palestinian terrorism.
“Despite the slaughter and maiming of an untold number of American citizens at the hands of Palestinian and Iranian terrorists, the United States Government has, rather shockingly, failed time and time again to fulfill its sovereign duty: To obtain justice for its citizens,” Sen. Cruz said during the hearing.
Read the Cruz-Coons-Graham-Whitehouse amicus brief here. The full amicus brief of the United States Senate is available here.
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