A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President should not accept the credentials of any representative of the Government of Libya without the expressed understanding that the Government of Libya will continue to work in good faith to resolve outstanding cases of United States victims of terrorism sponsored or supported by Libya, including the settlement of cases arising from the Pan Am Flight 103 and LaBelle Discotheque bombings.

Mr. President, in light of the recent announcement to remove Libya from the State Department's list of state sponsors of terror, I rise today to submit a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the Libyan Government should meet the terms of its financial commitment to the families of the victims of the Pan Am flight 103 bombing and other acts of terror supported by Libya before the President accepts credentials of any representative of the Government of Libya. I am pleased that Senators Graham, Menendez, Clinton, Kennedy, Biden, Lieberman, Levin, Kerry, Stabenow, Mikulski, Schumer, Boxer, Dodd, Bingaman, Allen, Collins, Burr, Salazar, DeMint, Lincoln, Dorgan, Reed, DeWine, Kohl, Reid, and Santorum have agreed to cosponsor my resolution.

In May 2002, Libya made an unequivocal commitment to compensate the families who lost loved ones in the Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people, including 189 Americans. To date, Libya has not resolved these claims in full, particularly the last installment of compensation that is to be paid to each family upon Libya's removal from the list of state sponsors of terror. Now that the Secretary of State has announced Libya's removal from the list, the U.S. must ensure that Libya honors its commitment.

Before the U.S. normalizes its relationship with the Government of Libya, it is crucial that we underscore our expectation that Libya will fully honor its commitment to all these American families. The resolution also exhorts the President to press the Government of Libya to make a good faith

effort to resolve other outstanding cases involving U.S. victims of its state-sponsored terrorism, including the 1986 bombing of the La Belle Discotheque in Berlin, Germany, that killed two American soldiers and wounded dozens of others.

I am pleased that the Senate is considering this important resolution and urge its immediate adoption.

S. Res. 504

Whereas there has not been a resolution of the claims of

members of the United States Armed Forces and other United

States citizens who were injured in the April 6, 1986,

bombing of the LaBelle Discotheque in Berlin, Germany, and

the claims of family members of the service men and women

killed in that bombing or the resolution of other outstanding

cases of United States victims of terror sponsored or

supported by Libya;

Whereas, on December 21, 1988, terrorists from Libya bombed

Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270

people, including 189 Americans;

Whereas, on May 29, 2002, the Government of Libya offered

to pay up to $2,700,000,000 to settle claims by the families

of the 270 people killed aboard Pan Am Flight 103,

representing $10,000,000 for each victim of the Pan Am Flight

103 bombing;

Whereas, on August 15, 2003, Libya's Ambassador to the

United Nations, Ahmed Own, submitted a letter to the United

Nations Security Council formally accepting ``responsibility

for the action of its officials'' in relation to the

Lockerbie bombing;

Whereas, on September 12, 2003, the United Nations lifted

sanctions against Libya, thereby enabling the first trigger

of the agreement between the Government of Libya and the

families of the victims of the attack on Pan Am Flight 103

for a payment of $4,000,000 per victim that has been paid to

the victims' families;

Whereas, on September 24, 2004, the United States lifted

most economic sanctions against Libya, thereby enabling the

second trigger of the agreement between the Government of

Libya and the families of the victims of the attack on Pan Am

Flight 103 for an additional payment of $4,000,000 per victim

that has been paid to the victims' families;

Whereas, on May 15, 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza

Rice announced the determination of President George W. Bush

to rescind the designation of Libya on the list of state

sponsors of terrorism, thereby enabling the third trigger of

the agreement between the Government of Libya and the

families of the victims of the attack on Pan Am Flight 103

for a final payment of $2,000,000 per victim;

Whereas, on May 15, 2006, Secretary of State Rice announced

the reestablishment of full diplomatic relations with the

Government of Libya, ending 26 years of isolation; and

Whereas the agreement between the Government of Libya and

the families of the victims of the attack on Pan Am Flight

103 incorporated a timeline for payment of the full

$2,700,000,000 that has not been met even though all of the

other conditions for such payment have been satisfied.

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--

(1) it remains an important priority for further

improvement in the relations between the United States and

Libya that the Government of Libya make a good faith effort

to resolve all outstanding claims of United States victims of

terrorism sponsored or supported by Libya;

(2) it is in the best interests of the long-term

relationship between the United States and Libya that final

payment be made to the families of the victims of the attack

on Pan Am Flight 103; and

(3) the President should not accept the credentials of any

representative of the Government of Libya without the

expressed understanding that the Government of Libya will

continue to work in good faith to resolve outstanding cases

of United States victims of terrorism sponsored or supported

by Libya, including the settlement of cases arising from the

Pan Am Flight 103 and LaBelle Discotheque bombings.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 504 submitted earlier today.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.