This 2005 annual report to the U.S. Congress provides information and data on the operations of the International Terrorism Victim Expense Reimbursement Program (ITVERP).
Congress established the ITVERP in an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, so that American victims of terrorist attacks outside the United States may receive uniform reimbursement for expenses associated with their victimization. Among the expenses covered under the program are emergency travel, repatriation of the remains of a deceased victim, mental health counseling for victims and their immediate family members, and costs for transporting injured victims to appropriate medical facilities. This program is intended to replace State victim compensation programs only to the extent that they do not sufficiently reimburse expenses associated with acts of international terrorism against U.S. citizens that occur outside the United States. This report explains procedures for filing and processing applications for expense reimbursement. It also describes the procedures and policies that promote public awareness of the program. Data are provided on cases served under the program. The data include the numbers of applications for reimbursement received, the applications approved and the amount of each award, and the applications denied and the reasons for denial. Data also address the average length of time taken to process an application for reimbursement, as well as the number of applications for reimbursement pending and the estimated future liability of the program. Program needs are identified, and suggestions are offered for program improvements.