To expand the temporary borrowing authority and mandatory distribution for the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.

119th Congress Introduced by Laura Gillen and 4 co-sponsors

The bill would expand temporary borrowing authority and require distributions from the Victims Of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund to speed and ensure payments to eligible victims.

Introduced in House

Overview

HR 9795, introduced in the 119th Congress, seeks to expand the temporary borrowing authority and mandatory distribution provisions related to the United States Victims Of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and has three co-sponsors: Nicole Malliotakis, Mike Lawler, and Laura Gillen.

Purpose and Intent

The primary aim is to broaden the government’s ability to borrow funds on a temporary basis and to mandate distributions from the Victims Of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.

The underlying objective is to ensure that more funds can be made available promptly to victims of state-sponsored terrorism, potentially enhancing relief and compensation to eligible claimants.

Key Provisions

Temporary Borrowing Authority: The bill expands the circumstances under which the United States may borrow funds temporarily. This could involve increasing or extending the period during which the government can use short-term borrowing to finance related obligations or expenditures tied to the fund.

Mandatory Distributions: The bill mandates distributions from the United States Victims Of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund. This implies a legal obligation to disburse specified amounts to eligible recipients, potentially reducing delays in compensation and ensuring steadier cash flow for ongoing claims or programs.

Scope of Fund: The measure delineates that the fund is the source of the distributions and borrowing authority, aligning with the purpose of compensating victims of state-sponsored terrorism.

Administration and Oversight: While not fully detailed in the summary, such provisions typically entail procedural requirements for how distributions are authorized, timelines for payment, and potential reporting or accountability mechanisms to Congress.

Who Is Affected

Victims of state-sponsored terrorism and their families who are eligible for compensation or relief under the fund.

Agencies and departments responsible for managing the fund, debt service, and distributions.

Taxpayers and the U.S. government, insofar as changes to borrowing authority impact federal credit and debt management.

Stakeholders and advocates in veterans’, victims’ rights, and national security communities who monitor funding and compensation programs.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduced in the House and referred to the Judiciary Committee on July 21, 2026.

As a committee-referred bill, it would require committee hearings, markup, and potential floor consideration before becoming law, subject to passage by both chambers and presidential action.

The bill’s provisions would take effect upon enactment or upon the date specified within the text, with any implementing regulations issued subsequently to administer the expanded borrowing and mandatory distributions.

Potential Implications

Positive: Faster and more reliable disbursement of compensation to victims; improved capacity to fund ongoing or new claims during financial fluctuations.

Risk/Considerations: Expanded borrowing and mandatory distributions could have budgetary and debt-management implications, including longer-term fiscal commitments and the need for clear eligibility rules and oversight to prevent misallocation or fraud.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to focus on specific sections of the bill (textual provisions, fiscal impact statements, or comparison with existing law) or provide a brief timeline of expected legislative steps for this bill.