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Newsroom: Press Releases

Lautenberg, Menendez, Clinton, Schumer Honor The Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 on 20th Anniversary of Tragedy

Senate Passes Resolution Honoring Victims of Lockerbie, Scotland Bombing

Lautenberg Press Office (202) 224-3224
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate recently approved a resolution Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sponsored to honor the victims of Pan Am Flight 103.  The measure, the Twentieth Anniversary of Remembrance for the Victims of the Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 Day, passed unanimously. 

    “Twenty years ago, tragedy struck over Lockerbie, Scotland.  Hundreds of families from New Jersey, across the country, and around the world lost a loved one that awful day.  Today, we honor their memory and vow to continue to do everything in our power to bring all who commit terrorist acts against innocent Americans to justice,” said Sen. Lautenberg. 

    Sen. Menendez said: “Twenty years have passed since terrorists took hundreds of innocent lives aboard Pan Am Flight 103, but their families in New Jersey and across the country will never forget, and neither will we. We have stood up for the families to make sure that there is some measure of justice. The victims’ memories must be honored both in tribute and in action against those who have done our nation harm and would do our nation harm in the future.”

    “The passing years have not diminished the sorrow or the pain of this great tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the Pan Am 103 victims today, as they have been for two decades. The bombing over Lockerbie cut short the lives of so many, including 35 Syracuse University students, and we honor their memory with this resolution,” Sen. Clinton said.

    “On December 21, 1988, a tragedy took place over Scotland that claimed the lives of many New Yorkers and Americans across the country,” Sen. Schumer said. “This measure will ensure that we continue to honor the memory of the 270 lost during this heinous terrorist act and that we continue to focus on preventing attacks in the future.”

    On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed over Lockerbie, Scotland by a bomb placed by Libyan terrorists, killing 270.   December 21, 2008 will mark the twentieth anniversary of this tragedy. 

    In 2003, Libya accepted responsibility for the Pan Am attack and reached an agreement with the victims’ families.  However, Libya failed to complete its obligation to the families under that agreement. 

    On October 31, 2008, Libya deposited into a United States account the final amounts it owed to settle the Pan Am 103 case.  Libya’s satisfaction of these obligations was facilitated by the Libyan Claims Resolution Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law in August 2008.

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