,i #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ajdfd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #af1 #bjbf,ms4 ,stevens introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,robert ,levinson ,hostage ,recovery and ,hostage-taking ,accountability ,act with respect to compensation for ,united ,states nationals unlawfully or wrongfully detained4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,paul ,whelan ,hostage ,compensation and ,reintegration ,act4 #b4 ,paul ,whelan ,hostage ,compensation and ,reintegration ,program ,section #cjb of the ,robert ,levinson ,hostage ,recovery and ,hostage-taking ,accountability ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #agda7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7e7 ,paul ,whelan ,hostage ,compensation and ,reintegration ,program 7#a7 ,compensation ,the ,secretary of ,state shall compensate an eligible ,united ,states national in the amount described under paragraph 7#c74 7#b7 ,application 7,a7 ,in general ,to be eligible for compensation under paragraph 7#a71 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 require4 7,b7 ,review ,the ,secretary of ,state shall have #ij days to review an application submitted under subparagraph 7,a7 and determine the amount described under paragraph 7#c74 7#c7 ,limitation on eligibility 7,a7 ,in general ,except as provided under subparagraph 7,b71 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-- 7i7 a level #d travel advisory under the four-tier system in effect on the date of the enactment of this section2 7ii7 a travel warning under the two-tier system in effect before ,january #aj1 #bjah2 or 7iii7 a travel advisory of any level with a ,d risk indicator distinction4 7,b7 ,exception ,the limitation under subparagraph 7,a7 shall not apply if-- 7i7 the national entered the foreign country to conduct official travel or in the capacity of a journalist2 or 7ii7 the ,secretary of ,state determines1 in consultation with the ,special ,presidential ,envoy for ,hostage ,affairs1 that compelling humanitarian or national interest circumstances warrant the national to be determined to be an eligible ,united ,states national4 7,c7 ,successor warnings and advisories ,any reference in this paragraph to a level #d travel advisory1 a travel warning1 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-- 7i7 advise ,united ,states citizens not to travel to a country2 or 7ii7 indicate a significant risk of wrongful detention of ,united ,states nationals by the foreign government4 7#d7 ,amount described 7,a7 ,in general ,for the purpose of compensation under paragraph 7#a71 the amount described shall be the amount equal to the product of-- 7i7 the average wage index divided by #cfe2 and 7ii7 the number of days detained determined under subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,days detained determined ,for the purpose of compensation under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary of ,state shall determine the number of days an eligible ,united ,states national was unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad4 7,c7 ,reconsideration of ,days ,detained 7i7 ,in general ,in the event that an eligible ,united ,states national disputes the number of days of wrongful detention as determined by the ,secretary of ,state1 such national may request a reconsideration of this number in accordance with a reconsideration process determined by the ,secretary of ,state4 7ii7 ,reconsideration ,an eligible ,united ,states national shall have #abj days to request a reconsideration of the number under clause 7i74 7iii7 ,final determination ,if an eligible ,united ,states national requests a reconsideration under clause 7ii71 the ,secretary of ,state shall have #ij days to make a final determination of the number of days an eligible ,united ,states national was unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad4 7,d7 ,documentation ,the ,secretary of ,state may1 in their determination of what is appropriate documentation1 accept additional evidence1 documentation1 or other information from an eligible ,united ,states national for the purpose of the reconsideration under subparagraph 7,c74 7#e7 ,payment ,the ,secretary of ,state shall make a one time1 lump sum payment to an eligible ,united ,states national4 7#f7 ,other compensation ,compensation under paragraph 7#a7 may not prohibit an eligible ,united ,states national from seeking other compensation to which such national may be entitled4 7#g7 ,tax treatment and benefits ,compensation under paragraph 7#a7 shall be treated for purposes of the internal revenue laws of the ,united ,states as damages for human suffering4 7#h7 ,means tested programs ,compensation under paragraph 7#a7 shall not be included as income or resources for purposes of determining eligibility to receive benefits described in section #chjc7;c77#b77;,c7 of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 or the amount of such benefits4 7#i7 ,certain claims not affected by awards of damages ,compensation under paragraph 7#a7 shall not be considered as any form of compensation or reimbursement for a loss for purposes of imposing liability on any individual receiving such payment1 on the basis of such receipt1 to repay any insurance carrier for insurance payments1 or to repay any person on account of worker's compensation payments4 ,additionally compensation under paragraph 7#a7 shall not affect any claim against an insurance carrier with respect to insurance or against any person with respect to worker's compensation4 7#aj7 ,attorney fees ,notwithstanding any contract1 the attorney of a ,united ,states national may not charge1 for services rendered in connection with the claim of such national1 more than #e percent of compensation under paragraph 7#a74 7#aa7 ,public awareness campaign ,beginning not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary of ,state shall-- 7,a7 publish on the internet website of the ,department of ,state information on how a ,united ,states national may apply for compensation under this subsection1 including information on eligibility and other information the ,secretary of ,state determines necessary2 and 7,b7 provide a briefing to potentially eligible ,united ,states nationals upon their return to the ,united ,states4 7#ab7 ,authorization of appropriations ,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 ,fund4 7#ac7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,eligible ,united ,states national ,the term eligible ,united ,states national means-- 7i7 a national of the ,united ,states or lawful permanent resident who has been unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad1 or 7ii7 in the case of a national of the ,united ,states or lawful permanent resident who has been unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad and is deceased1 is the next of kin of such national or resident1 as determined by the ,secretary of ,state4 7,b7 ,journalist ,the term journalist means a person who1 at the time of entry into the foreign country in which the wrongful detention occurred1 was regularly engaged in collecting1 photographing1 recording1 writing1 editing1 reporting1 or publishing news1 for gain or livelihood1 as a salaried employee of1 or independent contractor for1 a news organization4 7,c7 ,national of the ,united ,states ,the term national of the ,united ,states means-- 7i7 a citizen of the ,united ,states2 or 7ii7 a person who1 though not a citizen of the ,united ,states1 owes permanent allegiance to the ,united ,states4 7,d7 ,news organization ,the term news organization means a newspaper1 news journal1 news agency1 press association1 wire service1 radio or television station1 network1 news magazine1 digital news publication1 or other representative of the news media4 7,e7 ,news ,the term news means information of public concern relating to local1 statewide1 national1 or worldwide issues or events4 7,f7 ,official travel ,the term official travel means travel into a foreign country as part of duties for or at the direction of the ,united ,states ,government4 7,g7 ,representative of the news media ,the term representative of the news media shall have the meaning given such term in section #eeb7;a77#d77;,a77ii7 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 4