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Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act

Public Law 117-351 · S. 4240 · 117th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Joe Biden (D) on Jan 5, 2023 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Cosponsors (7): Sen. Richard Durbin,

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act

This act broadens the scope of individuals who are subject to federal prosecution for war crime offenses.

Currently, the federal war crimes statute provides federal jurisdiction over war crime offenses committed anywhere (i.e., inside or outside the United States) if the victim or offender is a member of the Armed Forces or a U.S. national.

First, this act extends federal jurisdiction over war crime offenses committed anywhere to offenses where (1) the victim or offender is an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence; or (2) the offender is present in the United States, regardless of the nationality of the victim or the offender.

Second, the act expands federal jurisdiction over war crime offenses to include offenses that occur in whole or in part within the United States, regardless of whether the victim or offender is a member of the Armed Forces, a U.S. national, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

The act allows an indictment for certain war crime offenses to be instituted any time, making the statute of limitations inapplicable. To undertake a prosecution for war crime offenses, the act requires written certification that prosecution is in the public interest and is necessary to secure substantial justice. The certification is not subject to judicial review.

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.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • H.R. 7818Identical bill

    Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.

  1. Jan 5, 2023Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 117-351.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Dec 28, 2022FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Dec 22, 2022FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 4240.
  7. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Nadler moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  9. Dec 21, 2022FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
  10. FloorFloor · Received in the House.
  11. FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  12. FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  13. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  15. May 18, 2022CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  16. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
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.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 6590SenateSen. Richard DurbinD-IL· offered Dec 21, 2022Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Dec 21, 2022: Amendment SA 6590 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.