I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2388 

To amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice to eliminate the statute 

of limitations for child abuse offenses, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 29, 2019 

Mr. MAST (for himself, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. POSEY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. 

GAETZ, Mr. SOTO, Mr. CISNEROS, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Ms. 

CASTOR of Florida, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, and Mrs. DEMINGS) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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 

A BILL 

To amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice to eliminate 

the statute of limitations for child abuse offenses, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘Harmony’s Law’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR 

2 CHILD ABUSE OFFENSES. 

3 (a) ELIMINATION OF LIMITATION PERIOD.—Sub4 paragraph (A) of section 843(b)(2) of title 10, United 

5 States Code (article 43(b)(2) of the Uniform Code of Mili6 tary Justice), is amended to read as follows: ‘‘(A) A person 

7 charged with having committed a child abuse offense 

8 against a child may be tried and punished at any time 

9 without limitation.’’. 

10 (b) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub11 section (a) shall apply to the prosecution of any child 

12 abuse offense (as that term is defined in section 843(b)(2) 

13 of title 10, United States Code (article 43(b)(2) of the 

14 Uniform Code of Military Justice)) committed before, on, 

15 or after the date of the enactment of this Act if the appli16 cable limitation period has not yet expired. 

17 SEC. 3. PARTICIPATION OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

18 IN CASES INVOLVING STATUTE OF LIMITA19 TIONS FOR RAPE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. 

20 The Office of General Counsel of the House of Rep21 resentatives, under the direction of the Bipartisan Legal 

22 Advisory Group established under clause 8(b) of rule II 

23 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, is authorized 

24 to take steps to protect the institutional interests of the 

25 House of Representatives in any case in which the opinion 

26 of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed 


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1 Forces regarding the statute of limitations for rape or sex2 ual assault under U.S. v. Mangahas, No. 17–0434–AF, 

3 is invoked in a defendant’s appeal, including filing amicus 

4 briefs and providing other support for the position that 

5 the prosecution of an individual under the Uniform Code 

6 of Military Justice for a rape or sexual assault committed 

7 before January 6, 2006, should not be time-barred based 

8 on such opinion. 

9 SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS 

10 FOR RAPE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. 

11 It is the sense of Congress that— 

12 (1) the passage of time should not bar the pros13 ecution of rape or sexual assault under the Uniform 

14 Code of Military Justice; and 

15 (2) the prosecution of an individual under such 

16 Code for a rape or sexual assault committed before 

17 January 6, 2006, should not be time-barred based 

18 on the opinion of the United States Court of Ap19 peals for the Armed Forces in the case U.S. v. 

20 Mangahas. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS