SCOTUS Unanimously Upholds Grassley Law to Secure Justice for American Victims of PLO Terrorism

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA –Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed the Supreme Court’s 9-0 ruling today maintaining the constitutionality of thePromoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2019, a law Grassley authored alongside U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.). The law ensures American victims of international terrorism, including terrorism perpetrated by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), can seek justice by bringing civil lawsuits in U.S. courts.
“For more than 30 years, I’ve advocated in Congress for the rights of victims and their families who are seeking to hold terrorist organizations and their financiers accountable for the evil they’ve inflicted. But along the way, courts have undermined Congress’ intent and the laws we’ve enacted to deter terrorism. At long last, Americans impacted by international terrorism now have a clear path to justice. I hope today’s ruling brings some measure of peace to those who’ve been injured or suffered the loss of a loved one at the hands of Palestinian terrorist organizations,”Grassley said. “This decision sends a resounding message that foreign terrorists who intend to harm our countrymen can expect to feel the full weight of the U.S. justice system upon them.”
Background:
Grassley’sAnti-Terrorism Act of 1992(ATA)established a framework for victims to sue those who were responsible for or assisted in acts of international terrorism that harmed or killed Americans. For decades, American families relied on the ATA to seek damages for attacks perpetrated by the PA and PLO in Israel and elsewhere abroad, until the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 2016 effectively nullified the jurisdictional authority to hold these Palestinian terrorist groups accountable.
In response to the Second Circuit’s ruling, Grassley and Lankford authored thePromoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Actto amend and strengthen the ATA. The PA/PLOchallengedthe Grassley-Lankford law as an unconstitutional violation of their due process rights. Today, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected that challenge, ruling thePromoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Actis a proper exercise of Congress’ authority over matters of serious foreign policy concern.
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