An act to amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of the terms "act of war" and "blocked asset", and for other purposes
PL 115-253 (S.2946), enacted 10/03/2018

132 STAT. 3183 
PUBLIC LAW 115–253—OCT. 3, 2018 
Public Law 115–253 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of the terms ‘‘act 
of war’’ and ‘‘blocked asset’’, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Anti-Terrorism Clarification 
Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF THE TERM ‘‘ACT OF WAR’’. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2331 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) the term ‘military force’ does not include any person 
that— 
‘‘(A) has been designated as a— 
‘‘(i) foreign terrorist organization by the Secretary 
of State under section 219 of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); or 
‘‘(ii) specially designated global terrorist (as such 
term is defined in section 594.310 of title 31, Code 
of Federal Regulations) by the Secretary of State or 
the Secretary of the Treasury; or 
‘‘(B) has been determined by the court to not be a 
‘military force’.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to any civil action pending on or commenced after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. SATISFACTION OF JUDGMENTS AGAINST TERRORISTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2333 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting at the end following: 
‘‘(e) USE OF BLOCKED ASSETS TO SATISFY JUDGMENTS OF U.S. 
NATIONALS.—For purposes of section 201 of the Terrorism Risk 
Insurance Act of 2002 (28 U.S.C. 1610 note), in any action in 
which a national of the United States has obtained a judgment 
against a terrorist party pursuant to this section, the term ‘blocked 
asset’ shall include any asset of that terrorist party (including 
the blocked assets of any agency or instrumentality of that party) 
seized or frozen by the United States under section 805(b) of the 
Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (21 U.S.C. 1904(b)).’’. 
18 USC 2331 
note. 
Anti-Terrorism 
Clarification 
Act of 2018. 
18 USC 1 note. 
Oct. 3, 2018 
[S. 2946] 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
12:30 Jan 18, 2024
Jkt 079194
PO 00000
Frm 00203
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2018\GOVINFO FILES FOR ERIC\PART 3\79194PT3.001
79194PT3
whamilton on LAP1Z6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
132 STAT. 3184 
PUBLIC LAW 115–253—OCT. 3, 2018 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to any judgment entered before, on, or after the date of 
enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. CONSENT OF CERTAIN PARTIES TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2334 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) CONSENT
OF CERTAIN PARTIES
TO PERSONAL JURISDIC-
TION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
for purposes of any civil action under section 2333 of this 
title, a defendant shall be deemed to have consented to personal 
jurisdiction in such civil action if, regardless of the date of 
the occurrence of the act of international terrorism upon which 
such civil action was filed, the defendant— 
‘‘(A) after the date that is 120 days after the date 
of enactment of this subsection, accepts— 
‘‘(i) any form of assistance, however provided, 
under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.); 
‘‘(ii) any form of assistance, however provided, 
under section 481 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2291) for international narcotics con-
trol and law enforcement; or 
‘‘(iii) any form of assistance, however provided, 
under chapter 9 of part II of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2349bb et seq.); or 
‘‘(B) in the case of a defendant benefiting from a waiver 
or suspension of section 1003 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 
of 1987 (22 U.S.C. 5202) after the date that is 120 days 
after the date of enactment of this subsection— 
‘‘(i) continues to maintain any office, headquarters, 
premises, or other facilities or establishments within 
the jurisdiction of the United States; or 
‘‘(ii) establishes or procures any office, head-
quarters, premises, or other facilities or establishments 
within the jurisdiction of the United States. 
‘‘(2) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any 
defendant who ceases to engage in the conduct described in 
paragraphs (1)(A) and (1)(B) for 5 consecutive calendar years.’’. 
Time period. 
Effective dates. 
18 USC 2333 
note. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
12:30 Jan 18, 2024
Jkt 079194
PO 00000
Frm 00204
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2018\GOVINFO FILES FOR ERIC\PART 3\79194PT3.001
79194PT3
whamilton on LAP1Z6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
132 STAT. 3185 
PUBLIC LAW 115–253—OCT. 3, 2018 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 2946 (H.R. 5954): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–858 (Comm. on the Judiciary) accompanying H.R. 5954. 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 
Aug. 22, considered and passed Senate. 
Sept. 13, considered and passed House. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this section shall 
take effect on the date of enactment of this Act. 
Approved October 3, 2018. 
18 USC 2334 
note. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
12:30 Jan 18, 2024
Jkt 079194
PO 00000
Frm 00205
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6580
G:\STATUTES\2018\GOVINFO FILES FOR ERIC\PART 3\79194PT3.001
79194PT3
whamilton on LAP1Z6H6L3PROD with STATUTES