Promoting Travel, Commerce, and National Security Act of 2016
PL 114-316 (H.R.6431), enacted 12/16/2016

130 STAT. 1593 
PUBLIC LAW 114–316—DEC. 16, 2016 
Public Law 114–316 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To ensure United States jurisdiction over offenses committed by United States 
personnel stationed in Canada in furtherance of border security initiatives. 
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 ‘‘Promoting Travel, Commerce, 
and National Security Act of 2016’’. 
SEC. 2. JURISDICTION OVER OFFENSES COMMITTED BY CERTAIN 
UNITED STATES PERSONNEL STATIONED IN CANADA. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 212A of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in the chapter heading, by striking ‘‘TRAFFICKING 
IN PERSONS’’; and 
(2) by adding after section 3272 the following: 
‘‘§ 3273. Offenses committed by certain United States per-
sonnel stationed in Canada in furtherance of 
border security initiatives 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Whoever, while employed by the Department 
of Homeland Security or the Department of Justice and stationed 
or deployed in Canada pursuant to a treaty, executive agreement, 
or bilateral memorandum in furtherance of a border security initia-
tive, engages in conduct (or conspires or attempts to engage in 
conduct) in Canada that would constitute an offense for which 
a person may be prosecuted in a court of the United States had 
the conduct been engaged in within the United States or within 
the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States 
shall be fined or imprisoned, or both, as provided for that offense. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘employed by the 
Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Justice’ 
means— 
‘‘(1) being employed as a civilian employee, a contractor 
(including a subcontractor at any tier), or an employee of a 
contractor (or a subcontractor at any tier) of the Department 
of Homeland Security or the Department of Justice; 
‘‘(2) being present or residing in Canada in connection 
with such employment; and 
‘‘(3) not being a national of or ordinarily resident in 
Canada.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Part II of title 
18, United States Code, is amended— 
Penalties. 
18 USC 3273. 
18 USC 
prec. 3271. 
Promoting 
Travel, 
Commerce, and 
National Security 
Act of 2016. 
18 USC 1 note. 
Dec. 16, 2016 
[H.R. 6431] 
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130 STAT. 1594 
PUBLIC LAW 114–316—DEC. 16, 2016 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 6431: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 162 (2016): 
Dec. 7, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 9, considered and passed Senate. 
(1) in the table of chapters, by striking the item relating 
to chapter 212A and inserting the following: 
‘‘212A. Extraterritorial jurisdiction over certain offenses ................................. 3271’’; 
and 
(2) in the table of sections for chapter 212A, by inserting 
after the item relating to section 3272 the following: 
‘‘3273. Offenses committed by certain United States personnel stationed in Canada 
in furtherance of border security initiatives.’’. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section or the 
amendments made by this section shall be construed to infringe 
upon or otherwise affect the exercise of prosecutorial discretion 
by the Department of Justice in implementing this section and 
the amendments made by this section. 
Approved December 16, 2016. 
18 USC 
prec. 3271. 
18 USC 
prec. 3001. 
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