H.R. 2790House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Our Obligation to Recognize American Heroes (OORAH) Act of 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 5:27 AM UTC

The OORAH Act of 2019 expands the U.S. government's ability to use Iranian financial assets to pay compensation to victims and families of terrorism sponsored by Iran, specifically referencing the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut. It amends the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 to broaden the types of assets that can be seized and to give U.S. courts jurisdiction over foreign intermediaries holding those assets.

Key Provisions

Adds findings that Iran-sponsored terrorism, such as the 1983 Beirut bombing, threatens U.S. security and that victims deserve justice.
Amends the 2012 law to allow seizure of Iranian assets located outside the United States and to permit court orders that bring those assets to the jurisdiction where a case is filed.
Removes language that limited actions based on international comity, allowing broader enforcement against Iranian assets.
Expands the definition of identifiable assets to include those involved in the Peterson v. Islamic Republic of Iran lawsuit.
Grants the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York personal jurisdiction over foreign securities intermediaries that hold seized Iranian assets abroad.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

June 26, 2019

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 16, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Judiciary Committee

May 16, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

June 26, 2019

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued May 16, 2019

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2790

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 16, 2019

Mr. Pence (for himself and Mr. Gallego) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To make additional financial assets of the Government of Iran available to pay compensatory damages to the victims of terrorism sponsored by that Government, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Our Obligation to Recognize American Heroes (OORAH) Act of 2019 .

Expansion of availability of financial assets of Iran to victims of terrorism

(a)

Findings

Congress makes the following findings:

(1)

On October 23, 1983, terrorists sponsored by the Government of Iran bombed the United States Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The terrorists killed 241 servicemen and injured scores more.

(2)

Those servicemen were killed or injured while on a peacekeeping mission.

(3)

Terrorism sponsored by the Government of Iran threatens the national security of the United States.

(4)

The United States has a vital interest in ensuring that members of the Armed Forces killed or injured by such terrorism, and the family members of such members, are able to seek justice.

(b)

Amendments

Section 502 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8772) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)(1)—

(A)

in subparagraph (A), by striking in the United States and inserting by or;

(B)

in subparagraph (B), by inserting , or an asset that would be blocked if the asset were located in the United States, after unblocked); and

(C)

in the flush text at the end—

(i)

by inserting after in aid of execution the following: , or to an order directing that the asset be brought to the State in which the court is located and subsequently to execution or attachment in aid of execution,; and

(ii)

by inserting , without regard to concerns relating to international comity after resources for such an act;

(2)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

by striking that are identified and inserting the following: “that are—

(1)

identified

;

(B)

by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)

identified in and the subject of proceedings in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in Peterson et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran et al., Case No. 13 Civ. 9195 (LAP).

;

(3)

by striking subsection (e);

(4)

by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and

(5)

by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

(c)

Personal jurisdiction

For purposes of this section, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York shall have personal jurisdiction over any foreign securities intermediary that credited financial assets described in subsection (b) to an account the intermediary holds outside the United States.