No Paydays for Hostage-Takers Act

Reporting periods in sections 6(d), 7, 8(b), and 9(c) are all reduced from 'annually thereafter for 6 years' to 'annually thereafter for 3 years,' halving the duration of mandatory presidential and secretarial reports to Congress.

Section 7(1) raises the asset valuation threshold from $10,000 to $100,000, meaning only blocked or frozen Iranian assets valued above $100,000 must be itemized in reports, excluding a large number of smaller holdings from oversight.

Section 8(a)(1) changes the language on international asset seizure from 'seize, and where appropriate, confiscate or forfeit' to 'and where appropriate and legally authorized, seize, confiscate or forfeit,' adding a legal authorization requirement that makes the call for international cooperation more conditional.

Section 10 adds 'by the United States Government' after 'ransom or transactions that could be viewed as ransom,' clarifying that the bar on ransom payments is defined from the US Government's perspective rather than as a general standard.