Congress: 106 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: pro-Israel
Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).
Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for HR 5500.
Sponsor: Andrews, Robert E. (D-NJ)
Justice for American Victims of Terrorism Act of 2000 - Directs the Attorney General to establish within the Department of Justice an office to: (1) monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have been committed by Palestinians or individuals acting on behalf of Palestinian organizations; (2) collect and offer rewards for information against individuals alleged to have committed such acts; (3) negotiate with the Palestinian Authority or related entities to obtain financial compensation for U.S. nationals or their families injured or killed by such terrorist acts; (4) establish and implement alternative methods to apprehend, indict, prosecute, and convict individuals who commit such acts; (5) contact victims' families and provide updates on the progress to apprehend, indict, prosecute, and convict the individuals who commit such acts; and (6) provide for the permanent stationing of an appropriate number of U.S. officials in Israel, in territory administered by Israel and by the Palestinian Authority, and elsewhere.
Requires the Justice Department to create a new office focused on monitoring and prosecuting alleged Palestinian terrorism against Americans. The office would negotiate compensation claims with the Palestinian Authority, offer rewards for information, and maintain permanent U.S. officials stationed in Israel and Palestinian territories to investigate and prosecute cases.
This singles out Palestinian actors for a dedicated federal enforcement and monitoring apparatus, with no parallel office for other designated terrorist organizations or actors. The placement of U.S. officials in Israeli and Palestinian territories operationalizes enforcement asymmetrically, prioritizing accountability structures for Palestinian violence over other sources of harm to Americans.