PUBLIC LAW 115–253—OCT. 3, 2018 132 STAT. 3183 

Public Law 115–253 

115th Congress 

An Act 

To amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of the terms ‘‘act 

of war’’ and ‘‘blocked asset’’, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Anti-Terrorism Clarification 

Act of 2018’’. 

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF THE TERM ‘‘ACT OF WAR’’. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2331 of title 18, United States Code, 

is amended— 

(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

(2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end 

and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

(3) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(6) the term ‘military force’ does not include any person 

that— 

‘‘(A) has been designated as a— 

‘‘(i) foreign terrorist organization by the Secretary 

of State under section 219 of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); or 

‘‘(ii) specially designated global terrorist (as such 

term is defined in section 594.310 of title 31, Code 

of Federal Regulations) by the Secretary of State or 

the Secretary of the Treasury; or 

‘‘(B) has been determined by the court to not be a 

‘military force’.’’. 

(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this section shall 

apply to any civil action pending on or commenced after the date 

of the enactment of this Act. 

SEC. 3. SATISFACTION OF JUDGMENTS AGAINST TERRORISTS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2333 of title 18, United States Code, 

is amended by inserting at the end following: 

‘‘(e) USE OF BLOCKED ASSETS TO SATISFY JUDGMENTS OF U.S. 

NATIONALS.—For purposes of section 201 of the Terrorism Risk 

Insurance Act of 2002 (28 U.S.C. 1610 note), in any action in 

which a national of the United States has obtained a judgment 

against a terrorist party pursuant to this section, the term ‘blocked 

asset’ shall include any asset of that terrorist party (including 

the blocked assets of any agency or instrumentality of that party) 

seized or frozen by the United States under section 805(b) of the 

Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1904(b)).’’. 

18 USC 2331 

note. 

Anti-Terrorism 

Clarification 

Act of 2018. 

18 USC 1 note. 

Oct. 3, 2018 

[S. 2946] 


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132 STAT. 3184 PUBLIC LAW 115–253—OCT. 3, 2018 

(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this section shall 

apply to any judgment entered before, on, or after the date of 

enactment of this Act. 

SEC. 4. CONSENT OF CERTAIN PARTIES TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2334 of title 18, United States Code, 

is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(e) CONSENT OF CERTAIN PARTIES TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), 

for purposes of any civil action under section 2333 of this 

title, a defendant shall be deemed to have consented to personal 

jurisdiction in such civil action if, regardless of the date of 

the occurrence of the act of international terrorism upon which 

such civil action was filed, the defendant— 

‘‘(A) after the date that is 120 days after the date 

of enactment of this subsection, accepts— 

‘‘(i) any form of assistance, however provided, 

under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance 

Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.); 

‘‘(ii) any form of assistance, however provided, 

under section 481 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 

1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291) for international narcotics control and law enforcement; or 

‘‘(iii) any form of assistance, however provided, 

under chapter 9 of part II of the Foreign Assistance 

Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2349bb et seq.); or 

‘‘(B) in the case of a defendant benefiting from a waiver 

or suspension of section 1003 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 

of 1987 (22 U.S.C. 5202) after the date that is 120 days 

after the date of enactment of this subsection— 

‘‘(i) continues to maintain any office, headquarters, 

premises, or other facilities or establishments within 

the jurisdiction of the United States; or 

‘‘(ii) establishes or procures any office, headquarters, premises, or other facilities or establishments 

within the jurisdiction of the United States. 

‘‘(2) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 

defendant who ceases to engage in the conduct described in 

paragraphs (1)(A) and (1)(B) for 5 consecutive calendar years.’’. 

Time period. 

Effective dates. 

18 USC 2333 

note. 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–253—OCT. 3, 2018 132 STAT. 3185 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2946 (H.R. 5954): 

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–858 (Comm. on the Judiciary) accompanying H.R. 5954. 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 

Aug. 22, considered and passed Senate. 

Sept. 13, considered and passed House. 

Æ 

(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this section shall 

take effect on the date of enactment of this Act. 

Approved October 3, 2018. 

18 USC 2334 

note. 


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