Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018
Public Law 115-300 · H.R. 390 · 115th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Dec 11, 2018 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-4)
Cosponsors (47): Rep. Anna Eshoo, Rep. Mark Meadows,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
This bill authorizes U.S. government agencies to provide humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery assistance for nationals and residents of Iraq and Syria, in particular ethnic and minority individuals at risk of persecution or war crimes. It also authorizes the agencies to assist in prosecuting those suspected of such crimes.
(Sec. 5) The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) may provide financial and technical assistance to support entities, including nongovernmental organizations with expertise in international criminal investigations and law, to address crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq. The assistance includes:
• conducting criminal investigations,
• developing indigenous investigative and judicial skills to adjudicate cases consistent with due process and respect for the rule of law, and
• collecting and preserving evidence for use in prosecutions.
The State Department shall encourage foreign governments to identify and prosecute ISIS members suspected of committing such crimes.
(Sec. 6) The State Department shall identify:
• threats of persecution, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against Iraqi or Syrian minority religious or ethnic groups;
• such groups that are at risk of forced migration and the primary reasons for such risk;
• humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery needs of these individuals; and
• entities, including faith-based entities, that are providing such assistance and the extent of U.S. assistance to or through such entities.
The State Department and USAID may support entities that are providing aid to the vulnerable groups.
(Sec. 7) The State Department shall report to Congress its efforts to implement this bill, as well as an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of prosecuting ISIS members.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 27 actions.
- Dec 11, 2018Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 115-300.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 29, 2018FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 27, 2018Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Smith (NJ) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 390.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Oct 12, 2018FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Oct 11, 2018FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 19, 2017CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 227.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Jun 7, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Jun 6, 2017FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 390.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Royce (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Mar 29, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Jan 10, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E40)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
3 amendments offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 4056SenateSen. Bob CorkerR-TN· offered Oct 11, 2018Agreed to
To amend the title.
Oct 11, 2018: Amendment SA 4056 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 4055SenateSen. Bob CorkerR-TN· offered Oct 11, 2018Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Oct 11, 2018: Amendment SA 4055 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Offered, no vote recorded
S.Amdt. 2044SenateSen. Bob CorkerR-TN· offered Feb 26, 2018No vote recorded
Feb 26, 2018: Senate amendment submitted
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.