PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
Congressional Research Service
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People & committees
Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11] · D–MI
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Oct 5, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-09-16 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Paul Whelan Hostage Compensation and Reintegration Act would provide a one-time payment to eligible U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad, or their next of kin if deceased. Payments would depend on detention length and an average wage measure. Entry into a country under specified travel warnings would generally bar compensation, with exceptions for official travel, journalists, and certain humanitarian or national-interest circumstances.
This Act may be cited as the Paul Whelan Hostage Compensation and Reintegration Act.
The term eligible United States national means— (i) a national of the United States or lawful permanent resident who has been unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad, or (ii) in the case of a national of the United States or lawful permanent resident who has been unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad and is deceased, is the next of kin of such national or resident, as determined by the Secretary of State.
the amount described shall be the amount equal to the product of— (i) the average wage index divided by 365; and (ii) the number of days detained determined under subparagraph (B).
The Secretary of State shall make a one time, lump sum payment to an eligible United States national.
Except as provided under subparagraph (B), the Secretary of State shall not compensate an eligible United States national if the national entered a foreign country during a period for which the country had— (i) a level 4 travel advisory under the four-tier system in effect on the date of the enactment of this section; (ii) a travel warning under the two-tier system in effect before January 10, 2018; or (iii) a travel advisory of any level with a D risk indicator distinction.
The limitation under subparagraph (A) shall not apply if— (i) the national entered the foreign country to conduct official travel or in the capacity of a journalist; or (ii) the Secretary of State determines, in consultation with the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, that compelling humanitarian or national interest circumstances warrant the national to be determined to be an eligible United States national.
Section 2 would add the compensation program to the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-taking Accountability Act and direct the Secretary of State to administer compensation.
Section 302 of the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Paul Whelan Hostage Compensation and Reintegration Program (1) Compensation The Secretary of State shall compensate an eligible United States national in the amount described under paragraph (3).
Eligibility would cover U.S. citizens, noncitizens who owe permanent allegiance to the United States, and lawful permanent residents unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad, subject to the program's restrictions. If the detained person is deceased, eligibility would extend to next of kin as determined by the Secretary of State.
The term eligible United States national means— (i) a national of the United States or lawful permanent resident who has been unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad, or (ii) in the case of a national of the United States or lawful permanent resident who has been unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad and is deceased, is the next of kin of such national or resident, as determined by the Secretary of State.
The term national of the United States means— (i) a citizen of the United States; or (ii) a person who, though not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States.
An application could be submitted at any time after release or death, using the format and information the Secretary reasonably requires. The Secretary would have 90 days to review it and determine the compensation amount. Both the compensation directive and application-review provision refer to paragraph (3) for that amount, although paragraph (3) contains eligibility restrictions and paragraph (4) contains the payment formula.
an eligible United States national shall submit to the Secretary of State an application at any time after such national’s release or death and in such manner and containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary of State may reasonably require.
The Secretary of State shall compensate an eligible United States national in the amount described under paragraph (3).
The Secretary of State shall have 90 days to review an application submitted under subparagraph (A) and determine the amount described under paragraph (3). (3) Limitation on eligibility
(4) Amount described (A) In general For the purpose of compensation under paragraph (1), the amount described shall be the amount equal to the product of— (i) the average wage index divided by 365; and (ii) the number of days detained determined under subparagraph (B).
Compensation would generally be barred if the person entered the country while it had a level 4 travel advisory, a travel warning under the system used before January 10, 2018, or any advisory carrying a D risk indicator.
Except as provided under subparagraph (B), the Secretary of State shall not compensate an eligible United States national if the national entered a foreign country during a period for which the country had— (i) a level 4 travel advisory under the four-tier system in effect on the date of the enactment of this section; (ii) a travel warning under the two-tier system in effect before January 10, 2018; or (iii) a travel advisory of any level with a D risk indicator distinction.
The travel-warning bar would not apply to people entering for official U.S. government duties or as qualifying journalists. The Secretary could also make an exception for compelling humanitarian or national-interest circumstances after consulting the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.
The limitation under subparagraph (A) shall not apply if— (i) the national entered the foreign country to conduct official travel or in the capacity of a journalist; or (ii) the Secretary of State determines, in consultation with the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, that compelling humanitarian or national interest circumstances warrant the national to be determined to be an eligible United States national.
The term official travel means travel into a foreign country as part of duties for or at the direction of the United States Government.
The journalist exception would require regular news work for gain or livelihood at the time of entry, as a salaried employee or independent contractor for a news organization. Covered work includes gathering, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, or publishing news. News organizations would include print, broadcast, and digital outlets; news would mean information of public concern about local, statewide, national, or worldwide issues or events. The bill also incorporates an existing statutory definition of representative of the news media, whose content is not supplied.
The term journalist means a person who, at the time of entry into the foreign country in which the wrongful detention occurred, was regularly engaged in collecting, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, or publishing news, for gain or livelihood, as a salaried employee of, or independent contractor for, a news organization.
The term news organization means a newspaper, news journal, news agency, press association, wire service, radio or television station, network, news magazine, digital news publication, or other representative of the news media.
The term news means information of public concern relating to local, statewide, national, or worldwide issues or events.
The term representative of the news media shall have the meaning given such term in section 552(a)(4)(A)(ii) of title 5, United States Code.
Equivalent successor travel-warning designations would also count toward the eligibility restriction if they advise U.S. citizens not to travel or indicate a significant risk of wrongful detention by the foreign government.
Any reference in this paragraph to a level 4 travel advisory, a travel warning, or a travel advisory of any level with a D risk indicator distinction shall include any successor designation issued by the Secretary of State that serves the same substantive purpose to— (i) advise United States citizens not to travel to a country; or (ii) indicate a significant risk of wrongful detention of United States nationals by the foreign government.
The payment formula would divide the average wage index by 365 and multiply that daily amount by the number of days of unlawful or wrongful detention abroad. The Secretary would determine the detention days. The supplied text does not define the average wage index or specify which year's index to use.
(4) Amount described (A) In general For the purpose of compensation under paragraph (1), the amount described shall be the amount equal to the product of— (i) the average wage index divided by 365; and (ii) the number of days detained determined under subparagraph (B). (B) Days detained determined For the purpose of compensation under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall determine the number of days an eligible United States national was unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad.
A person disputing the detention-day count would have 120 days to request reconsideration through a process set by the Secretary. The Secretary would then have 90 days to make a final determination and could accept additional supporting information. The text does not expressly identify when the 120-day request period begins.
In the event that an eligible United States national disputes the number of days of wrongful detention as determined by the Secretary of State, such national may request a reconsideration of this number in accordance with a reconsideration process determined by the Secretary of State.
An eligible United States national shall have 120 days to request a reconsideration of the number under clause (i).
If an eligible United States national requests a reconsideration under clause (ii), the Secretary of State shall have 90 days to make a final determination of the number of days an eligible United States national was unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad.
The Secretary of State may, in their determination of what is appropriate documentation, accept additional evidence, documentation, or other information from an eligible United States national for the purpose of the reconsideration under subparagraph (C).
Compensation would be paid once, as a single payment. Receiving it would not prevent a recipient from seeking other compensation to which they may be entitled.
(5) Payment The Secretary of State shall make a one time, lump sum payment to an eligible United States national. (6) Other compensation Compensation under paragraph (1) may not prohibit an eligible United States national from seeking other compensation to which such national may be entitled.
For federal tax purposes, payments would be treated as damages for human suffering. The supplied sources do not establish the complete tax consequences of that treatment.
Compensation under paragraph (1) shall be treated for purposes of the internal revenue laws of the United States as damages for human suffering.
Under the provision headed Means tested programs, payments would not count as income or resources when deciding eligibility or benefit amounts for benefits referenced in 31 U.S.C. 3803(c)(2)(C). That referenced law is not supplied, so the precise covered benefits cannot be established from this bundle.
(8) Means tested programs Compensation under paragraph (1) shall not be included as income or resources for purposes of determining eligibility to receive benefits described in section 3803(c)(2)(C) of title 31, United States Code, or the amount of such benefits.
Receiving compensation would not itself create an obligation to repay insurance or workers' compensation payments. It would also leave claims against insurers or claims for workers' compensation unaffected.
Compensation under paragraph (1) shall not be considered as any form of compensation or reimbursement for a loss for purposes of imposing liability on any individual receiving such payment, on the basis of such receipt, to repay any insurance carrier for insurance payments, or to repay any person on account of worker's compensation payments. Additionally compensation under paragraph (1) shall not affect any claim against an insurance carrier with respect to insurance or against any person with respect to worker's compensation.
The attorney of a U.S. national could charge no more than 5 percent of the compensation for services connected with the national's claim, regardless of a contract allowing a higher fee.
Notwithstanding any contract, the attorney of a United States national may not charge, for services rendered in connection with the claim of such national, more than 5 percent of compensation under paragraph (1).
Starting no later than 120 days after enactment, the Secretary would have to publish application and eligibility information on the State Department website and brief potentially eligible U.S. nationals when they return to the United States.
Beginning not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of State shall— (A) publish on the internet website of the Department of State information on how a United States national may apply for compensation under this subsection, including information on eligibility and other information the Secretary of State determines necessary; and (B) provide a briefing to potentially eligible United States nationals upon their return to the United States.
The bill would authorize annual appropriations of whatever amounts are necessary from Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund balances not already committed to obligations. This authorizes funding; it does not itself appropriate a specified amount.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subsection such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year from the unobligated balances of the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated October 5, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the Foreign Affairs and Ways and Means committees on September 16, 2026. It supplies no later action or enactment record.
Source snapshot updated 2026-10-05T20:36:38Z.
2026-09-16: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
2026-09-16: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-09-16. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish the contents or attachment history of other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for a particular recipient or place outside competitive or formula allocation was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; absent disclosures and supporting materials prevent a broader determination of formal earmark status.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied introduced text contains narrow eligibility exceptions and payment-specific protections directly related to the main compensation policy. Their identification is not a judgment about their justification.
People entering a country for official U.S. government travel or as qualifying journalists would be exempt from the travel-warning bar on compensation. The journalist exception is limited to people regularly doing news work for gain or livelihood as salaried employees or independent contractors for a news organization at entry. The Secretary could also exempt individuals based on compelling humanitarian or national-interest circumstances after consulting the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. These exceptions preserve access to the compensation program despite an otherwise applicable eligibility restriction.
Except as provided under subparagraph (B), the Secretary of State shall not compensate an eligible United States national if the national entered a foreign country during a period for which the country had— (i) a level 4 travel advisory under the four-tier system in effect on the date of the enactment of this section; (ii) a travel warning under the two-tier system in effect before January 10, 2018; or (iii) a travel advisory of any level with a D risk indicator distinction.
The limitation under subparagraph (A) shall not apply if— (i) the national entered the foreign country to conduct official travel or in the capacity of a journalist; or (ii) the Secretary of State determines, in consultation with the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, that compelling humanitarian or national interest circumstances warrant the national to be determined to be an eligible United States national.
The term journalist means a person who, at the time of entry into the foreign country in which the wrongful detention occurred, was regularly engaged in collecting, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, or publishing news, for gain or livelihood, as a salaried employee of, or independent contractor for, a news organization.
The term official travel means travel into a foreign country as part of duties for or at the direction of the United States Government.
Compensation recipients would receive a payment-specific exclusion from income and resource calculations used to determine eligibility and benefit amounts for the benefits referenced in 31 U.S.C. 3803(c)(2)(C). This protects the program's compensation from being counted in those calculations. The referenced law is absent, so the precise benefits covered cannot be established from the supplied sources.
(8) Means tested programs Compensation under paragraph (1) shall not be included as income or resources for purposes of determining eligibility to receive benefits described in section 3803(c)(2)(C) of title 31, United States Code, or the amount of such benefits.
Compensation recipients would receive protection against treating this payment as compensation or reimbursement for a loss to impose repayment liability for insurance or workers' compensation payments on the basis of its receipt. The payment would also leave their insurance and workers' compensation claims unaffected. These protections specifically govern how the new compensation interacts with other payments and claims; they do not establish a general exemption from repayment obligations arising on other grounds.
Compensation under paragraph (1) shall not be considered as any form of compensation or reimbursement for a loss for purposes of imposing liability on any individual receiving such payment, on the basis of such receipt, to repay any insurance carrier for insurance payments, or to repay any person on account of worker's compensation payments. Additionally compensation under paragraph (1) shall not affect any claim against an insurance carrier with respect to insurance or against any person with respect to worker's compensation.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Oct 5, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI