Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act

IntroducedJanuary 3, 2025

Passed House1 year ago

Intro

House

Cloture

Senate

Pres

Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 54 - 45. Record Vote Number: 22. (CR S410)

International AffairsInternational law and treatiesPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsFamily relationshipsDetention of personsForeign propertySanctionsVisas and passportsCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationU.S. and foreign investmentsSpecialized courts

Why This Matters

This bill would allow the President to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and related persons if they investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute protected United States or allied individuals. It also rescinds existing US funding for the ICC and bars future appropriations.

Who this affects

Foreign persons · Immediate family members · ICC

What changes is this bill making?

1Requires the President to impose sanctions within 60 days and on an ongoing basis against foreign persons who directly engage in or support efforts by the ICC (International Criminal Court) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons.
2Sanctions include blocking all US-based property and interests and denying visas, admission, or parole to those foreign persons and their immediate family members.
3Authorizes use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to carry out sanctions and applies penalties for violations of sanction orders.
4Mandates that the President notify key congressional committees within 10 days of imposing sanctions, including details on the sanctioned persons, their ICC-related activities, and the measures taken.
5Allows the President to waive or terminate sanctions for up to 90-day periods if vital to national security or to end ICC actions against protected persons.
6Rescinds any US appropriations available for the ICC on enactment and prohibits future US funding for the court.

Read the detailed summary

Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act This bill imposes sanctions against foreign persons (individuals and entities) who assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting certain individuals. The bill categorizes as protected persons (1) any U.S. individual, U.S. entity, or person in the United States, unless the United States is a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC and provides formal consent to ICC jurisdiction; and (2) any foreign person that is a citizen or lawful resident of a U.S. ally that is not a state party to the Rome Statute or has not consented to ICC jurisdiction. If the ICC attempts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against the foreign persons that engaged in or materially assisted in such actions, as well as against foreign persons owned by, controlled by, or acting on behalf of such foreign persons. The President must also apply visa-blocking sanctions to the immediate family members of those sanctioned. Upon enactment, the bill rescinds all funds appropriated for the ICC and prohibits the subsequent use of appropriated funds for the ICC.

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