House Passes Chairman Mast’s Bill to Sanction International Criminal Court for Targeting Israel

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Republicans united behind legislation introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast and Rep. Chip Roy to sanction the International Criminal Court for its unwarranted targeting of Israel.

"I don't care if you are a terrorist in a cave or a lawyer at the Hague, if you get in the way of bringing American hostages home, then you will be given no quarter and you damn well shouldn't expect to be welcomed on American soil with open arms," said Chairman Mast.

The Houses' passage of H.R. 23, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, marks a key legislative victory less than a week into the 119^th Congress.

"Let's be clear about what is happening at the so-called international criminal court right now," said Rep. Roy in his remarks on the House floor. "It has taken the unprecedented action of issuing arrest warrants for the sitting prime minister and former minister of defense or our friend and ally, Israel. Let that sit in for a minute. This is an entity, the international criminal court, that has no jurisdiction over the people of the United States, should have no authority over our people, no authority over the Prime Minister of Israel, yet is extending into the people of Israel's business in defending their interests against violent attack by Hamas, which we define as a terrorist entity."

The Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act would sanction any individual working to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute American citizens or an official from an allied U.S. country, including Israel. The legislation would cover officials from NATO and major non-NATO countries, including Israel, Japan, and Taiwan.

As part of the sanctions imposed by the act, ICC officials and their immediate family members would be denied visas to enter the United States. ICC officials already in the country would have their existing visas revoked and face deportation.

The legislation covers not just ICC employees and their families, but also individuals providing "financial, material, or technological support" to the organization.

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