[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 12, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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     SENATE RESOLUTION 570--OPPOSING AND CONDEMNING THE POTENTIAL 
PROSECUTION OF UNITED STATES AND ISRAELI NATIONALS BY THE INTERNATIONAL 
                             CRIMINAL COURT

  Mr. CRUZ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 570

       Whereas the United States has long objected to any 
     assertion of jurisdiction by the International Criminal Court 
     (ICC) over nationals of states that are not parties to the 
     Rome Statute, including the United States and Israel, absent 
     a referral from the United Nations Security Council or the 
     consent of such a state;
       Whereas, on December 20, 2019, the Prosecutor of the ICC 
     asked the ICC judges to confirm that the Court may exercise 
     jurisdiction over the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, 
     facilitating the potential prosecution of Israeli nations;
        Whereas, on March 5, 2020, the ICC authorized an 
     investigation into the actions of United States Armed Forces 
     and intelligence officials operating in Afghanistan, 
     facilitating the prosecution of United States nationals; and
       Whereas prosecutions of nationals from states that are not 
     parties to the Rome Statute, absent a referral from the 
     United Nations Security Council or the consent of such a 
     state, are illegitimate and terminally endanger the 
     credibility of the ICC: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate opposes and condemns the potential 
     prosecution of United States and Israeli nationals by the 
     ICC; and
       (2) it should be the policy of the United States to pursue 
     a resolution by the United Nations Security Council 
     prohibiting the ICC from prosecuting nationals of States that 
     are not parties to the Rome Statute, including the United 
     States and Israel, absent a referral from the United Nations 
     Security Council or the consent of such a state.

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