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 Serv-
ices, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subse-
quently 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘Harmony’s Law’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:43 May 01, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2388.IH
H2388
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR 
CHILD ABUSE OFFENSES. 
(a) ELIMINATION
OF LIMITATION PERIOD.—Sub-
paragraph (A) of section 843(b)(2) of title 10, United 
States Code (article 43(b)(2) of the Uniform Code of Mili-
tary Justice), is amended to read as follows: ‘‘(A) A person 
charged with having committed a child abuse offense 
against a child may be tried and punished at any time 
without limitation.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to the prosecution of any child 
abuse offense (as that term is defined in section 843(b)(2) 
of title 10, United States Code (article 43(b)(2) of the 
Uniform Code of Military Justice)) committed before, on, 
or after the date of the enactment of this Act if the appli-
cable limitation period has not yet expired. 
SEC. 3. PARTICIPATION OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
IN CASES INVOLVING STATUTE OF LIMITA-
TIONS FOR RAPE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. 
The Office of General Counsel of the House of Rep-
resentatives, under the direction of the Bipartisan Legal 
Advisory Group established under clause 8(b) of rule II 
of the Rules of the House of Representatives, is authorized 
to take steps to protect the institutional interests of the 
House of Representatives in any case in which the opinion 
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:43 May 01, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2388.IH
H2388
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Forces regarding the statute of limitations for rape or sex-
ual assault under U.S. v. Mangahas, No. 17–0434–AF, 
is invoked in a defendant’s appeal, including filing amicus 
briefs and providing other support for the position that 
the prosecution of an individual under the Uniform Code 
of Military Justice for a rape or sexual assault committed 
before January 6, 2006, should not be time-barred based 
on such opinion. 
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS 
FOR RAPE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the passage of time should not bar the pros-
ecution of rape or sexual assault under the Uniform 
Code of Military Justice; and 
(2) the prosecution of an individual under such 
Code for a rape or sexual assault committed before 
January 6, 2006, should not be time-barred based 
on the opinion of the United States Court of Ap-
peals for the Armed Forces in the case U.S. v. 
Mangahas. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:43 May 01, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2388.IH
H2388
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS