Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) introduced a bill with Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) to sanction officials and associates of the International Criminal Court (ICC) who investigate or prosecute U.S. troops and officials and allies who do not recognize the authority of the ICC, such as Israel. The Biden administration revoked a Trump administration executive order that would have similarly held the ICC accountable. Bill text may be found here.

“The ICC has no legitimate jurisdiction over the United States or any country that does not recognize the ICC’s authority. This legislation rejects the Biden administration’s appeasement of the ICC. It also protects our servicemembers, officials, and allies against the court’s politically motivated attacks, as we’ve seen the court do time and again with U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Israeli efforts to defend themselves from terrorist aggression,” said Senator Cotton. 

“We must protect our men and women in uniform from investigations or prosecutions conducted by an international court and judges who are not accountable to the American people,” said Senator Rubio.

The bill would:

• Sanction and revoke the visas of any ICC employee or associate that is involved in investigating, prosecuting, or assisting in the investigation or prosecution of current or former U.S. soldiers or officials or the current or former officials or troops of any ally of the United States which does not recognize the authority of the ICC.

• Revoke the visas of all ICC employees, all persons acting on behalf of the ICC, and the immediate family members of those sanctioned for investigating U.S. and allied troops and officials.