[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4270 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4270
To provide for the establishment of a binational rapid response
protocol for serious crimes committed against United States citizens in
Mexico, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 26, 2026
Mr. Kelly introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the establishment of a binational rapid response
protocol for serious crimes committed against United States citizens in
Mexico, 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 ``Nicholas Douglas Quets United
States-Mexico Rapid Response for Victims of Crime Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On October 18, 2024, while traveling in the Mexican
state of Sonora near Puerto Penasco, Nicholas Quets was
targeted by armed criminals associated with the Sinaloa Cartel
and the 31-year-old American was tragically shot and killed in
a violent attack.
(2) The brutal murder of Nicholas Quets reflects the
ongoing threat posed by transnational criminal organizations
and cartel violence in the region.
(3) The violence perpetrated by drug cartels and other
criminal organizations endangers innocent civilians, undermines
the rule of law, and threatens the safety of United States
citizens traveling abroad.
(4) Binational coordination in investigations like that of
Nicholas Quets' death can often be delayed or incomplete, which
may deny the administration of justice for victims and their
families.
(5) Each year, millions of United States citizens travel to
Mexico for tourism, work, and family purposes.
(6) In certain cases involving serious crimes, including
homicide, kidnapping, and organized criminal violence, delays
or gaps in coordination between authorities may hinder
investigations and the delivery of justice for victims and
their families.
(7) Enhanced binational coordination, communication, and
investigative cooperation is essential to ensure effective
responses to serious crimes involving United States citizens in
Mexico.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that a robust, binational rapid
response protocol is necessary to ensure efficient communication and
coordination between United States and Mexican authorities when
responding to serious crimes involving United States citizens in
Mexico.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate;
(B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Serious crimes.--The term ``serious crimes'' includes--
(A) homicides and suspicious deaths;
(B) kidnappings and abductions;
(C) disappearances;
(D) violent crimes involving, or suspected to be
involving, organized criminal groups or cartels; and
(E) other violent crimes designated by the
Secretary of State.
SEC. 5. BINATIONAL RAPID RESPONSE PROTOCOL.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in coordination with the
Attorney General, shall engage with the Government of Mexico to
negotiate and establish a binational rapid response protocol for
serious crimes committed against United States citizens in Mexico
(referred to in this section as the ``Protocol'').
(b) Purpose.--The Protocol shall aim to ensure timely coordination
between United States and Mexican authorities in responding to and
investigating serious crimes committed against United States citizens
in Mexico.
(c) Recommended Elements.--In negotiating the Protocol, the
Secretary of State shall seek to include procedures that provide--
(1) mechanisms for the prompt notification of relevant
United States and Mexican authorities when a serious crime
involving a United States citizen occurs;
(2) secure and reliable communication channels between
designated law enforcement and diplomatic authorities in both
countries;
(3) procedures to ensure the timely securing of crime
scenes and the protection of relevant physical evidence;
(4) agreed-upon standards and procedures for preserving and
documenting evidence in a manner that supports potential
prosecutions in either country's jurisdiction;
(5) procedures to facilitate the timely sharing of
investigative leads, intelligence, and forensic information
between United States and Mexican authorities, consistent with
the laws of each country;
(6) the designation of appropriate points of contact within
the Government of Mexico and procedures to facilitate requests
for international extradition and timely coordination for
extradition to United States;
(7) the designation of appropriate points of contact within
relevant United States and Mexican agencies responsible for
coordinating responses to incidents covered by the Protocol;
(8) the designation of a point of contact within the United
States Government responsible for communicating with the victim
or the victim's family and providing timely updates regarding
investigative developments and available assistance;
(9) procedures for coordination between United States
consular officials and Mexican authorities regarding support
for victims and their families; and
(10) opportunities for joint training, planning, or
exercises to ensure effective implementation of the Protocol.
SEC. 6. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
(a) Progress Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the binational
rapid response protocol described in section 5 is established, the
Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate
congressional committees that describes--
(1) the progress made toward negotiating such protocol;
(2) the status of cooperation with the Government of Mexico
relating to crimes against United States citizens while they
are in Mexico; and
(3) any additional legislative or diplomatic steps the
Secretary determines would improve coordination and
accountability in such cases.
(b) Implementation Report.--Not later than 180 days after the
establishment of the binational rapid response protocol described in
section 5, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit
a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes--
(1) the status of the implementation of such protocol;
(2) actions taken by United States and Mexican authorities
under the protocol;
(3) the extent to which the protocol has improved
coordination in covered cases; and
(4) any recommendations for improving the protocol.
SEC. 7. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act may be construed--
(1) to limit the sovereignty of the United States or of
Mexico;
(2) to require the Government of Mexico to adopt
investigative procedures inconsistent with existing Mexican
law; or
(3) to alter the existing authorities of United States law
enforcement or consular officials.
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