Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2015

To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for protection of maritime navigation and prevention of nuclear terrorism, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2015 2. Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Table of contents. TITLE I—Safety of Maritime Navigation Sec. 101. Violence against maritime navigation. Sec. 102. Violence against maritime fixed platforms. Sec. 103. Wiretap predicates. TITLE II—Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism Sec. 201. Acts of nuclear terrorism. Sec. 202. Prohibited transactions involving nuclear materials. Sec. 203. Ancillary measures. I Safety of Maritime Navigation 101. Violence against maritime navigation Section 2280 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in the section heading, by inserting and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction navigation (2) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking A person Subject to the exceptions listed in subsection (d), a person (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (G) and (H) as subparagraphs (J) and (K), respectively; (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following: (G) when the purpose of the act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act— (i) uses against or on a ship or discharges from a ship any explosive or radioactive material, biological, chemical, or nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device in a manner that causes or is likely to cause death to any person or serious injury or damage; (ii) discharges from a ship oil, liquefied natural gas, or other hazardous or noxious substance that is not covered by clause (i), in such quantity or concentration that causes or is likely to cause death to any person or serious injury or damage; or (iii) uses a ship in a manner that causes death to any person or serious injury or damage; (H) transports on board a ship— (i) any explosive or radioactive material, knowing that it is intended to be used to cause, or in a threat to cause, death to any person or serious injury or damage for the purpose of intimidating a population, or compelling a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act; (ii) any biological, chemical, or nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device, knowing it to be a biological, chemical, or nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device; (iii) any source material, special fissionable material, or equipment or material especially designed or prepared for the processing, use, or production of special fissionable material, knowing that it is intended to be used in a nuclear explosive activity or in any other nuclear activity not under safeguards pursuant to an International Atomic Energy Agency comprehensive safeguards agreement, except where— (I) such item is transported to or from the territory of, or otherwise under the control of, a Non-Proliferation Treaty State Party; and (II) the resulting transfer or receipt (including internal to a country) is not contrary to the obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty of the Non-Proliferation Treaty State Party from which, to the territory of which, or otherwise under the control of which such item is transferred; (iv) any equipment, materials, or software or related technology that significantly contributes to the design or manufacture of a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device, with the intention that it will be used for such purpose, except where— (I) the country to the territory of which or under the control of which such item is transferred is a Nuclear Weapon State Party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty; and (II) the resulting transfer or receipt (including internal to a country) is not contrary to the obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty of a Non-Proliferation Treaty State Party from which, to the territory of which, or otherwise under the control of which such item is transferred; (v) any equipment, materials, or software or related technology that significantly contributes to the delivery of a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device, with the intention that it will be used for such purpose, except where— (I) such item is transported to or from the territory of, or otherwise under the control of, a Non-Proliferation Treaty State Party; and (II) such item is intended for the delivery system of a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device of a Nuclear Weapon State Party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty; or (vi) any equipment, materials, or software or related technology that significantly contributes to the design, manufacture, or delivery of a biological or chemical weapon, with the intention that it will be used for such purpose; (I) transports another person on board a ship knowing that the person has committed an act that constitutes an offense under subparagraphs (A) through (H), (J), or (K) or an offense set forth in an applicable treaty, as specified in subsection (g)(1), and intending to assist that person to evade criminal prosecution; ; (iv) in subparagraph (J), as redesignated, by striking subparagraphs (A) through (F) subparagraphs (A) through (I), or paragraph (2), to the extent that the offense described in such paragraph pertains to subparagraph (G) (v) in subparagraph (K), as redesignated, by striking subparagraphs (A) through (G) any of subparagraphs (A) through (G) or subparagraph (J), or conspires to do any act prohibited under any of subparagraphs (A) through (J) or paragraph (2) (B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows: (2) Threats A person who threatens, with apparent determination and will to carry the threat into execution— (A) to do any act prohibited under subparagraph (B), (C), or (E) of paragraph (1), if the threatened act is likely to endanger the safe navigation of the ship in question; or (B) to do any act prohibited under paragraph (1)(G), shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. ; (3) by striking subsection (e); (4) by redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as subsections (c), (e), and (f), respectively; (5) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: (b) Civil forfeiture (1) In general Any real or personal property used or intended to be used to commit or to facilitate the commission of a violation of this section, the gross proceeds of such violation, and any real or personal property traceable to such property or proceeds, shall be subject to forfeiture. (2) Applicable procedures (A) In general Except as provided under subparagraph (B), seizures and forfeitures under this subsection shall be governed by the provisions relating to civil forfeitures set forth in chapter 46. (B) Execution of duties In carrying out this subsection, the duties imposed upon the Secretary of the Treasury under the customs laws described in section 981(d) shall be performed by such officers, agents, and other persons as may be designated for that purpose by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of Defense. ; (6) in subsection (c)(1)(A), as redesignated— (A) in clause (i), by striking a ship flying the flag of the United States a vessel of the United States or a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 70502 of title 46) (B) in clause (ii), by inserting , including the territorial seas in the United States (C) in clause (iii), by inserting , by a United States corporation or legal entity, by a national of the United States (7) by inserting after subsection (c), as redesignated, the following: (d) Exceptions This section shall not apply to— (1) activities of armed forces during an armed conflict, as those terms are understood under the law of war, which are governed by that law; or (2) activities undertaken by military forces of a state in the exercise of their official duties. ; (8) in subsection (e), as redesignated— (A) by inserting (except for offenses under subparagraphs (G) through (K) of subsection (a)(1) or under subsection (a)(2) if the predicate is an offense under subparagraphs (G), (H), or (I) of subsection (a)(1)) subsection (a) (B) by striking section 2(c) section 13(c) (9) in subsection (f), as redesignated, by striking Article 3 of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation may deliver such person to the authorities of a State Party to that Convention subsection (a) may deliver such person to the authorities of a country that is a party to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, done at Rome March 10, 1988 (10) by adding at the end the following: (g) Definitions In this section and in section 2281: (1) Applicable treaty The term applicable treaty (A) the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, done at The Hague December 16, 1970; (B) the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation, done at Montreal September 23, 1971; (C) the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations December 14, 1973; (D) International Convention against the Taking of Hostages, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations December 17, 1979; (E) the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, done at Vienna October 26, 1979; (F) the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation, done at Montreal February 24, 1988; (G) the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf, done at Rome March 10, 1988; (H) International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations December 15, 1997; and (I) International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations December 9, 1999. (2) Armed conflict The term armed conflict (3) Biological weapon The term biological weapon (A) microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purposes; or (B) weapons, equipment, or means of delivery designed to use such agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in armed conflict. (4) Chemical weapon The term chemical weapon (A) toxic chemicals and their precursors, except where intended for— (i) industrial, agricultural, research, medical, pharmaceutical, or other peaceful purposes; (ii) protective purposes, namely those purposes directly related to protection against toxic chemicals and to protection against chemical weapons; (iii) military purposes not connected with the use of chemical weapons and not dependent on the use of the toxic properties of chemicals as a method of warfare; or (iv) law enforcement, including domestic riot control purposes, as long as the types and quantities are consistent with such purposes; (B) munitions and devices, specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of those toxic chemicals specified in subparagraph (A), which would be released as a result of the employment of such munitions and devices; and (C) any equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of munitions and devices specified in subparagraph (B). (5) Covered ship The term covered ship (6) Explosive materials The term explosive materials (7) Infrastructure facility The term infrastructure facility (8) International organization The term international organization (9) Military forces of a state The term military forces of a state (10) National of the united states The term national of the United States 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22) (11) Non-proliferation treaty The term Non-Proliferation Treaty (12) Non-proliferation treaty state party The term Non-Proliferation Treaty State Party (13) Nuclear weapon state party to the non-proliferation treaty The term Nuclear Weapon State Party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (14) Place of public use The term place of public use (15) Precursor The term precursor (16) Public transportation system The term public transportation system (17) Serious injury or damage The term serious injury or damage (A) serious bodily injury; (B) extensive destruction of a place of public use, State or government facility, infrastructure facility, or public transportation system, resulting in major economic loss; or (C) substantial damage to the environment, including air, soil, water, fauna, or flora. (18) Ship The term ship (A) means a vessel of any type whatsoever that is not permanently attached to the sea-bed, including dynamically supported craft, submersibles, or any other floating craft; and (B) does not include a warship, a ship owned or operated by a government when being used as a naval auxiliary or for customs or police purposes, or a ship which has been withdrawn from navigation or laid up. (19) Source material; special fissionable material The terms source material special fissionable material (20) Territorial sea of the united states The term territorial sea of the United States (21) Toxic chemical The term toxic chemical (22) Transport The term transport (23) United states The term United States . 102. Violence against maritime fixed platforms Section 2281 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following: (E) when the purpose of the act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act— (i) uses against or on a fixed platform or discharges from a fixed platform any explosive or radioactive material, biological, chemical, or nuclear weapon in a manner that causes or is likely to cause death or serious injury or damage; or (ii) discharges from a fixed platform oil, liquefied natural gas, or another hazardous or noxious substance that is not referred to in clause (i), in such quantity or concentration that causes or is likely to cause death or serious injury or damage; ; (iii) in subparagraph (F), as redesignated, by striking (D) (E) (iv) in subparagraph (G), as redesignated, by striking (E) (F) (B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows: (2) Threat to safety A person who threatens, with apparent determination and will to carry the threat into execution, to do any act prohibited under subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1), if the threatened act is likely to endanger the safety of the fixed platform, or to do any act prohibited under paragraph (1)(E), shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. ; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) Exceptions This section shall not apply to— (1) activities of armed forces during an armed conflict, as those terms are understood under the law of war, which are governed by that law; or (2) activities undertaken by military forces of a state in the exercise of their official duties. ; (4) in subsection (d), as redesignated— (A) by inserting (except for offenses under subparagraphs (E) through (G) of subsection (a)(1) or under subsection (a)(2) if the predicate is an offense under subsection (a)(1)(E)) subsection (a) (B) by striking section 2(c) section 13(c) (5) in subsection (e), as redesignated— (A) by striking Sea. Sea; and (B) by striking national of the United States 103. Wiretap predicates Section 2516(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subparagraph (p), by striking or (2) in subparagraph (q), by inserting , section 2280 or 2281 (relating to maritime safety), weapons) II Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism 201. Acts of nuclear terrorism (a) In general Chapter 113B 2332i. Acts of nuclear terrorism (a) Offenses (1) In general Any person who knowingly and unlawfully— (A) possesses radioactive material or makes or possesses a device— (i) with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury; or (ii) with the intent to cause substantial damage to property or the environment; or (B) uses in any way radioactive material or a device, or uses or damages or interferes with the operation of a nuclear facility in a manner that causes the release of or increases the risk of the release of radioactive material, or causes radioactive contamination or exposure to radiation— (i) with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury or with the knowledge that such act is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; (ii) with the intent to cause substantial damage to property or the environment or with the knowledge that such act is likely to cause substantial damage to property or the environment; or (iii) with the intent to compel a person, an international organization, or a country to do or refrain from doing an act, shall be punished as prescribed in subsection (c). (2) Threats Whoever, under circumstances in which the threat may reasonably be believed, threatens to commit an offense under paragraph (1) shall be punished as prescribed in subsection (c). Whoever demands possession of or access to radioactive material, a device or a nuclear facility by threat or by use of force shall be punished as prescribed in subsection (c). (3) Attempts and conspiracies Any person who attempts to commit an offense described in paragraph (1) or conspires to commit an offense described in paragraph (1) or (2) shall be punished as prescribed in subsection (c). (b) Jurisdiction Conduct prohibited under subsection (a) is within the jurisdiction of the United States if— (1) the prohibited conduct takes place in the United States or the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States; (2) the prohibited conduct takes place outside of the United States and— (A) is committed by a national of the United States, a United States corporation or legal entity, or a stateless person whose habitual residence is in the United States; (B) is committed on board a vessel of the United States or a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 70502 of title 46) or on board an aircraft that is registered under United States law, at the time the offense is committed; or (C) is committed in an attempt to compel the United States to do or abstain from doing any act, or constitutes a threat directed at the United States; (3) the prohibited conduct takes place outside of the United States and a victim or an intended victim is a national of the United States or a United States corporation or legal entity, or the offense is committed against any state or government facility of the United States; or (4) a perpetrator of the prohibited conduct is found in the United States. (c) Penalties Any person who violates this section shall be punished as provided under section 2332a(a). (d) Nonapplicability This section does not apply to— (1) activities of armed forces during an armed conflict, as those terms are understood under the law of war, which are governed by that law; or (2) activities undertaken by military forces of a state in the exercise of their official duties. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Armed conflict The term armed conflict (2) Device The term device (A) any nuclear explosive device; or (B) any radioactive material dispersal or radiation-emitting device that may, owing to its radiological properties, cause death, serious bodily injury, or substantial damage to property or the environment. (3) International organization The term international organization (4) Military forces of a state The term military forces of a state (5) National of the united states The term national of the United States 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22) (6) Nuclear facility The term nuclear facility (A) any nuclear reactor, including reactors on vessels, vehicles, aircraft or space objects for use as an energy source in order to propel such vessels, vehicles, aircraft or space objects or for any other purpose; (B) any plant or conveyance being used for the production, storage, processing or transport of radioactive material; or (C) a facility (including associated buildings and equipment) in which nuclear material is produced, processed, used, handled, stored or disposed of, if damage to or interference with such facility could lead to the release of significant amounts of radiation or radioactive material. (7) Nuclear material The term nuclear material (8) Radioactive material The term radioactive material (9) Serious bodily injury The term serious bodily injury (10) State The term state (11) State or government facility The term state or government facility (12) United states corporation or legal entity The term United States corporation or legal entity (13) Vessel The term vessel (14) Vessel of the united states The term vessel of the United States . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 113B 2332i. Acts of nuclear terrorism. . (c) Disclaimer Nothing contained in this section is intended to affect the applicability of any other Federal or State law that might pertain to the underlying conduct. 202. Prohibited transactions involving nuclear materials Section 831 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (8) as paragraphs (4) through (9), respectively; (B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) without lawful authority, intentionally carries, sends or moves nuclear material into or out of a country; ; (C) in paragraph (8), as redesignated, by striking an offense under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) any act prohibited under paragraphs (1) through (5) (D) in paragraph (9), as redesignated, by striking an offense under paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) any act prohibited under paragraphs (1) through (7) (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking (7) (8) (B) in paragraph (2), by striking (8) (9) (3) in subsection (c)— (A) in subparagraph (2)(A), by inserting or a stateless person whose habitual residence is in the United States United States (B) in paragraph (4), by striking or (C) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following: (5) the offense is committed outside the United States and against any state or government facility of the United States; (6) the offense is committed on board— (A) a vessel of the United States or a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 70502 of title 46); or (B) an aircraft that is registered under United States law at the time the offense is committed; or (7) the offense is committed in an attempt to compel the United States to do or abstain from doing any act, or constitutes a threat directed at the United States. ; (4) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f) as subsections (e), (f), and (g), respectively; (5) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: (d) Nonapplicability This section shall not apply to— (1) activities of armed forces during an armed conflict, as those terms are understood under the law of war, which are governed by that law; or (2) activities undertaken by military forces of a state in the exercise of their official duties. ; and (6) in subsection (g), as redesignated— (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (4), (5), (6), and (7) as paragraphs (7), (6), (8), (2), (5), and (11), respectively; (B) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated, the following: (1) the term armed conflict ; (C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (4) the term military forces of a state ; (D) in paragraph (5), as redesignated, by striking and (E) by inserting after paragraph (8), as redesignated, the following: (9) the term state (10) the term state or government facility ; (F) in paragraph (11), as redesignated, by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (G) by adding at the end the following: (12) the term vessel of the United States . 203. Ancillary measures (a) Federal crime of terrorism Section 2332b(g)(5)(B)(i) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting 2332i (relating to acts of nuclear terrorism), 2332h (relating to radiological dispersal devices), (b) Providing material support to terrorists predicate Section 2339A(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting 2332i, 2332f, (c) Wiretap predicates Section 2516(1)(q) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by section 103 of this Act, is further amended by inserting , 2332i, 2332h

Summary: Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the penalty for certain offenses involving: (1) violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction, and (2) violence against a fixed maritime platform. Specifically, it broadens the existing penalty for a defendant who commits such an offense that results in a person's death&#8212;currently, a prison term of any years or for life&#8212;to permit a death penalty sentence. (Sec. 3) The bill modifies criminal penalties for a defendant who knowingly commits, or threatens, attempts, or conspires to commit, an act of nuclear terrorism with the intent to cause death, serious injury, or damage. Specifically, it revises existing penalties&#8212;currently, a fine of up to $2 million and a prison term of any years or for life&#8212;to subject a violator to a prison term of any years or for life, and if death results, a death penalty sentence or a prison term of any years or for life. (Sec. 4) The bill expands the predicate offenses that constitute the crime of providing material support to terrorists to include: (1) violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction, (2) violence against a fixed maritime platform, and (3) nuclear terrorism. (Sec. 5) It expands the Department of Justice's authority to intercept wire, oral, or electronic communications to include investigations of offenses related to: (1) violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction, (2) violence against a fixed maritime platform, and (3) nuclear terrorism. (Sec. 6) The bill expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) the United States must not bar individuals from entering the United States based on their religion, and (2) the individual right to bear arms is a fundamental right necessary to our system of ordered liberty and deeply rooted in U.S. history and tradition.