Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018

Bill: 115-hr-390
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2017-01-10 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Evidence and witnesses
Foreign aid and international relief
Government studies and investigations
Human rights
Immigration status and procedures
International organizations and cooperation
Iraq
Middle East
Racial and ethnic relations
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Religion
Syria
Terrorism
United Nations
War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity

Summary:
action_date: 2017-01-10
text: 

Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2017

 
This bill directs the Department of State to provide assistance to entities taking specified criminal and judicial actions against individuals who are suspected of committing genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes in Iraq since January 2014 or in Syria since March 2011. 
 
The State Department shall encourage foreign governments to identify and prosecute individuals who are suspected of committing such crimes, including members of foreign terrorist organizations operating in Iraq or Syria. 
 
The Department of Justice shall review existing criminal statutes concerning genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes to determine: 
 
 
the extent to which U.S. courts have jurisdiction over such crimes where the perpetrators or victims are U.S. nationals, residents, or persons present in a U.S. territory; 
 
 current statutes that would apply to such conduct and whether additional statutory authorities are necessary; and 
 
the extent to which the absence of criminal statutes defining the crimes or granting jurisdiction impede their prosecution in U.S. courts.
 
 
The State Department shall identify: 
 
 
threats of persecution, genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against members of Iraqi or Syrian religious or ethnic groups that are minorities in Iraq or in Syria with respect to whom the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has committed such crimes in Iraq or Syria since January 2014, or who are members of other persecuted religious or ethnic groups; 
 
humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery needs of these individuals; and 
 
assistance provided by the United States, the U.N., and other entities, including faith-based entities.
 
 
 Aliens who are, or were, a national and a resident of Iraq or Syria, and who share common characteristics that identify them as targets of persecution on account of membership in a religious or ethnic minority in that country: (1) are deemed to be of special humanitarian concern to the United States; and (2) shall be eligible for priority-2 processing under the refugee resettlement priority system. 
 
 The Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1990 is amended to extend: (1) refugee set-asides for nationals of the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania; and (2) the period of eligibility for status adjustment from a parolee who was denied refugee status to a lawfully admitted permanent resident for certain aliens from the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Vietnam, Laos, or Cambodia.

action_date: 2017-06-06
text: 

Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2017

 
 (Sec. 4) This bill states that is U.S. policy to ensure that humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery assistance for nationals and residents of Iraq or Syria, and of communities from those countries, is directed toward ethnic and minority individuals and communities with the greatest need, including those individuals and communities that are at risk of persecution or war crimes. 
 
 (Sec. 5) The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development may provide assistance, including financial and technical assistance, to support the efforts of entities, including nongovernmental organizations with expertise in international criminal investigations and law, to address crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes in Iraq since January 2014 by: 
 
 
conducting criminal investigations, 
 
developing indigenous investigative and judicial skills to adjudicate cases consistent with due process and respect for the rule of law, and 
 
collecting and preserving evidence for use in prosecutions. 
 
 
The State Department shall encourage foreign governments to identify and prosecute individuals who are suspected of committing such crimes, including members of foreign terrorist organizations operating in Iraq or Syria. 
 
(Sec. 6) The State Department shall identify: 
 
 
threats of persecution, genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against members of Iraqi or Syrian religious or ethnic groups that are minorities in Iraq or in Syria with respect to whom the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has committed such crimes in Iraq or Syria since January 2014 or who are members of other persecuted religious or ethnic groups; 
 
 persecuted religious and ethnic minority groups in Iraq or Syria that are at risk of forced migration and the primary reasons for such risk;
 
humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery needs of these individuals; and 
 
 entities, including faith-based entities, that are providing such assistance and the extent of U.S. assistance to or through such entities. 
 
 
 (Sec. 7) The State Department shall provide Congress with: 
 
 
a description of the efforts taken and proposed to implement this bill; and 
 
an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of prosecuting individuals for acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes in Iraq since January 2014 or in Syria since March 2011. 
 
 

action_date: 2018-12-11
text: 

Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018

 
 This bill authorizes U.S. government agencies to provide humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery assistance for nationals and residents of Iraq and Syria, in particular ethnic and minority individuals at risk of persecution or war crimes. It also authorizes the agencies to assist in prosecuting those suspected of such crimes.
 
 (Sec. 5) The Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) may provide financial and technical assistance to support entities, including nongovernmental organizations with expertise in international criminal investigations and law, to address crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq. The assistance includes:
 
 
conducting criminal investigations, 
 
developing indigenous investigative and judicial skills to adjudicate cases consistent with due process and respect for the rule of law, and 
 
collecting and preserving evidence for use in prosecutions. 
 
 
The State Department shall encourage foreign governments to identify and prosecute ISIS members suspected of committing such crimes. 
 
(Sec. 6) The State Department shall identify: 
 
 
threats of persecution, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against Iraqi or Syrian minority religious or ethnic groups;
 
 such groups that are at risk of forced migration and the primary reasons for such risk;
 
humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery needs of these individuals; and 
 
 entities, including faith-based entities, that are providing such assistance and the extent of U.S. assistance to or through such entities. 
 
 
The State Department and USAID may support entities that are providing aid to the vulnerable groups.
 
 (Sec. 7) The State Department shall report to Congress its efforts to implement this bill, as well as an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of prosecuting ISIS members. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2018-12-11
text: Became Public Law No: 115-300.
action_date: 2018-12-11
text: Became Public Law No: 115-300.
action_date: 2018-12-11
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2018-12-11
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2018-11-29
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2018-11-29
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2018-11-27
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2018-11-27
text: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote. (text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H9600-9601)
action_date: 2018-11-27
text: Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.(text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H9600-9601)
action_date: 2018-11-27
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 390.
action_date: 2018-11-27
text: Mr. Smith (NJ) moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments. (consideration: CR H9600-9604)
action_date: 2018-10-12
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2018-10-11
text: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2018-10-11
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2018-10-11
text: The committee substitute withdrawn by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2018-10-11
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6876-6879)
action_date: 2017-09-19
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 227.
action_date: 2017-09-19
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2017-09-19
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2017-09-19
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2017-06-07
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2017-06-06
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2017-06-06
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2017-06-06
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4632-4633)
action_date: 2017-06-06
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H4632-4633)
action_date: 2017-06-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 390.
action_date: 2017-06-06
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4632-4638)
action_date: 2017-06-06
text: Mr. Royce (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2017-03-29
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2017-03-29
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-01-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2017-01-10
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2017-01-10
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E40)
action_date: 2017-01-10
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-01-10
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 115-300