[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 28, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H5482-H5483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WAR CRIMES REWARDS EXPANSION ACT

  Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4250) to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 
to provide for rewards for the arrest or conviction of certain foreign 
nationals who have committed genocide or war crimes, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4250

       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 ``War Crimes Rewards Expansion 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF STATE REWARDS PROGRAM.

       Paragraph (10) of section 36(b) of the State Department 
     Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2708(b)) is amended 
     by striking ``defined under the statute of such tribunal;'' 
     and inserting the following: ``defined under--
       ``(A) the statute of such country or tribunal, as the case 
     may be; or
       ``(B) United States law;''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 4250.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 4250, the War Crimes Rewards 
Expansion Act, authored by Representative Foxx.
  The bill broadens the State Department rewards program for 
individuals or whistleblowers who come forward with and provide 
information on genocide or war crimes. It clarifies that the rewards 
can also be provided for prosecutions that fall under domestic law, 
including American law or the law of another nation, in addition to 
international law.
  We have seen, time and again, that whistleblower programs are the 
most effective type of compliance mechanism, and the State Department 
rewards program itself is a proven tool for bringing the perpetrators 
of atrocities to justice.
  The United States must continue to demonstrate that we are steadfast 
in our commitment to holding war criminals accountable and that the 
mechanisms we have in place to bring about their arrest are flexible 
and robust.
  This bill is straightforward. By expanding the scope of what rewards 
can be paid for information, we will incentivize more individuals to 
come forward and gain more information with which to find and prosecute 
these criminals.
  This legislation has passed the House in previous Congresses, and we 
hope

[[Page H5483]]

this bill can make it across the finish line this time around.
  This is an important measure. I support it, and I urge my colleagues 
to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. KIM of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise today in support of the War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act.
  Sadly, we live in a world where crimes against humanity still occur. 
We have seen three declared genocides in just the last 20 years: in 
Darfur in 2004, by ISIS in 2016, and the one in Xinjiang that was 
formally declared by Secretary Mike Pompeo before he left office 
earlier this year.
  We have, of course, also seen the horrific ethnic cleansing against 
the Rohingya in Burma. We have seen atrocities committed by Assad 
against his own people in Syria.
  But bringing the criminals behind these massacres to justice can be 
difficult. That is why, 35 years ago, we enacted the State Department 
rewards program. It authorizes the Secretary of State to offer rewards 
for the arrest or conviction of some of the most dangerous people in 
the world.

                              {time}  1345

  Originally written to be used against international terrorists, this 
successful program has since been expanded to include drug traffickers, 
war criminals, and perpetrators of genocide.
  As the world changes and as international criminals evolve, we need 
to make sure this important program evolves with them.
  That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the War 
Crimes Rewards Expansion Act. This bill makes clear that these rewards 
are not just meant to support international tribunals. They can also be 
used to bring these dangerous criminals to justice here in the United 
States under United States law.
  I want to thank the author of the bill, the gentlewoman from North 
Carolina, Dr. Virginia Foxx, for her work on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. KIM of CALIFORNIA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), the author of the bill.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from California for 
yielding.
  I want to thank especially the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Raskin, 
for his support on this bill as well as my other colleagues.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bipartisan bill, which 
will enhance the domestic prosecution of perpetrators of war crimes, 
crimes against humanity, and genocide.
  Though we often think of these atrocities as being tried at 
international tribunals, there are many domestic statutes as well that 
criminalize genocide and war crimes. It is important that we can apply 
domestic law in the prosecution of these criminals, and this bill 
allows the State Department's War Crimes Rewards Program to offer 
rewards for the arrest or conviction of perpetrators of these 
atrocities.
  Earlier this month, we witnessed our domestic justice system 
prosecuting war crimes and acts of terrorism. One of the now infamous 
associates of Jihadi John just pled guilty to all eight counts against 
him in a U.S. district court. He played a leading role in the ISIS plan 
to kidnap, hold for ransom, and ultimately behead four American 
hostages. Domestic prosecution can bring swift justice and allows 
nations to hold perpetrators more directly accountable to those that 
they have wronged, such as the victims' families.
  With passage of the War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act, we can see even 
more perpetrators of atrocities against Americans brought to justice.
  During just the last 20 years, we have witnessed three declared 
genocides: Darfur in 2004, ISIS in 2016, and the Xinjiang province in 
2021. We want those who commit these atrocities and heinous crimes to 
feel the weight of the law pressing in on them and feel that America is 
hunting for them. We want them never to feel safe, never find rest, and 
we know we will not rest until they are brought to justice.
  This bill will help make America safer and bring perpetrators of war 
crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide to justice.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.
  Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. KIM of CALIFORNIA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  The Department of State's rewards program serves an important purpose 
by turning the tables on dangerous foreign terrorists and human rights 
violators so they face the justice they so rightly deserve.
  I want to thank Dr. Foxx for her work on this bill and Chairman Meeks 
for bringing this bill to the floor and giving us the opportunity to 
clarify this important authority.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WILD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, the War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act would broaden the 
State Department's rewards program by clarifying that rewards can also 
be provided for prosecutions that fall under domestic law, whether it 
be American law or the law of another nation. This would further 
incentivize individuals to come forward with valuable information, 
leading to the arrest and prosecution of some of the worst perpetrators 
of human rights abuses and war crimes.
  I thank Representative Foxx for authoring this bill, and I urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Wild) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4250.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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