The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act, led by Reps. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.-05), David Cicilline (D-R.I.-01), Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).
The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent earlier this week.
Spartz
“War criminals should never be able to escape justice in the United States,” Rep. Spartz said. “I was proud to co-lead this bipartisan, bicameral legislation with Rep. Cicilline and I am grateful to my colleagues for voting to close this loophole for good.”
If enacted, the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act would close a loophole in the federal statute to enable prosecution of war criminals who commit atrocities against non-U.S. citizens overseas. Currently, aliens who commit war crimes abroad could be immune to prosecution on U.S. soil, effectively giving them safe haven in the United States. This legislation would ensure that all war crimes are prosecutable under our law.
The Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act heads to the President’s desk for signature.