[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 416 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 416

   Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the International 
                            Criminal Court.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 9, 2002

 Mr. Paul (for himself, Mr. Barr of Georgia, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, 
    Mr. Cannon, Mr. Collins, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Flake, Mr. Goode, Mr. 
Manzullo, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Schaffer, Mr. Sessions, and 
 Mr. Weldon of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the International 
                            Criminal Court.

Whereas on May 6, 2002, President George W. Bush renounced the signature of the 
        United States from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 
        declaring that the United States has no legal obligations arising from 
        its signature on December 31, 2000, and proclaiming that the United 
        States has no intention of becoming a party to the Rome Statute;
Whereas in taking action to withdraw the United States from the jurisdictional 
        reach of the International Criminal Court, President Bush has given 
        notice to the international community that the United States will defend 
        her sovereignty and her citizens from a court that undermines the checks 
        and balances of the Constitution of the United States and even departs 
        from the system that the drafters of the United Nations Charter 
        envisioned; and
Whereas Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has acknowledged the International 
        Criminal Court will not respect the decision of the United States to 
        stay out of the treaty, because the provisions of the Rome Statute claim 
        authority to detain and try American citizens, including members of the 
        armed services and other governmental officials, even though the United 
        States has not consented to the terms of the Rome Statute and even 
        though the law of nations provides that no nation may be bound to a 
        treaty except by that nation's expressed consent: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) President George W. Bush be commended for taking this 
        bold first step to protect American servicemembers and citizens 
        from the possibility of unwarranted and politically-motivated 
        prosecutions;
            (2) President Bush be encouraged to remain steadfast in his 
        intention of protecting American servicemembers and citizens 
        from the unchecked power of the International Criminal Court; 
        and
            (3) Congress should forthwith take all steps necessary to 
        grant appropriate authority to the President to defend the 
        American people from the threat of arrest, prosecution, and 
        conviction by the International Criminal Court.
                                 <all>