I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1801 
To enhance the consideration of human rights in arms exports. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 27, 2023 
Mr. MEEKS (for himself, Ms. WILD, Ms. SPANBERGER, Ms. JACOBS, Mr. CAS-
TRO of Texas, and Mr. PHILLIPS) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 enhance the consideration of human rights in arms 
exports. 
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 the ‘‘Safeguarding Human 
Rights in Arms Exports Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘SAFE-
GUARD Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY ON CONTROL OF DEFENSE 
EXPORTS 
AND 
PROTECTION 
OF 
HUMAN 
RIGHTS. 
It is the policy of the United States that one of the 
purposes for controlling the export of defense articles and 
defense services to foreign countries is to prevent such ex-
ports from being used in violation of international humani-
tarian law or internationally recognized human rights, to 
require accountability for any such violations, and to en-
sure that the sale, export, or transfer of such articles and 
services serves to encourage governments of foreign coun-
tries to fully comply with international humanitarian law 
and observe internationally recognized human rights. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF ARMS SALES TO COUNTRIES COM-
MITTING GENOCIDE OR WAR CRIMES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—No sale, export, or transfer of de-
fense articles or defense services may occur to any country 
if the Secretary of State has credible information that the 
government of such country has committed or is commit-
ting genocide or violations of international humanitarian 
law after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The restriction under subsection 
(a) shall not apply if the Secretary of State certifies to 
the appropriate congressional committees that— 
(1) the government has adequately punished the 
persons directly or indirectly responsible for such 
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acts through a credible, transparent, and effective 
judicial process; 
(2) appropriate measures have been instituted 
to ensure that such acts will not recur; and 
(3) other appropriate compensation or appro-
priate compensatory measures have been or are 
being provided to the persons harmed by such acts. 
SEC. 4. MISUSE OF ARMS SALES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 
ABUSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall ensure that— 
(1) the sale, export, or transfer of any defense 
article or defense service to a foreign country or 
international organization shall be pursuant to an 
agreement that the government of such country or 
such international organization will not use such ar-
ticle or service in the commission, or to enable the 
commission, of a violation of international humani-
tarian law or internationally recognized human 
rights; 
(2) the United States Government has the legal 
right to require the return of any defense articles 
sold, exported, or transferred to a foreign country or 
international organization if the government of such 
country or such organization has used United 
States-origin defense articles in the commission, or 
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