Members of Arizona’s Congressional caucus are being applauded for voting in favor of the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act (H.R. 23), which imposes sanctions on the International Criminal Court for what is described as the “unwarranted targeting of Israel.”
Arizona Representatives Andy Biggs, Juan Ciscomani, Eli Crane, Abe Hamadeh, David Schweikert, and Yassmine Ansari voted in favor of the bill, which was introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast alongside Rep. Chip Roy and 27 Republican co-sponsors.
Representative Paul Gosar, Raul Grijalva, and Greg Stanton did not vote on the measure.
“The ICC seeks to exercise authority it does not have, in jurisdiction from which it is excluded,” state Rep. Andy Biggs. “As the only member of Congress who was in attendance at the Rome Conference where the ICC documents originate, I can witness that the ICC is anti-American and anti-Israel. I am pleased to have contributed language to H.R. 23 and to vote yes on sanctions against the ICC.”
Today, the House passed H.R. 23, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act.
Text from my resolution reaffirming that the United States does not recognize the legitimacy of the ICC was included in H.R. 23.
My official statement⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dYzBZaFJ9n
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) January 9, 2025
“Today, the House is voting on the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, a solidly America First bill from @RepChipRoy & @RepBrianMast,” tweeted Rep. Crane before the vote. “I am voting in favor. The International Criminal “Court” & other worthless globalist orgs have no business targeting the US or our allies.”
Today, the House is voting on the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, a solidly America First bill from @RepChipRoy & @RepBrianMast.
I am voting in favor.
The International Criminal “Court” & other worthless globalist orgs have no business targeting the US or our allies.
— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) January 9, 2025
“Today, the House voted to reimpose Trump-era sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) officials who seek to target U.S. citizens or allies,” stated Rep. Hamadeh. “The ICC is an unelected entity weaponized to attack our greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel, and U.S. Warfighters alike-Biden has so foolishly lifted these sanctions as part of his America Last agenda. Peace through strength, beginning January 20th, can’t come soon enough. In the meantime, we’re doing all we can to support President Trump’s America First agenda.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has no place to rule as an unelected court. Today we voted to re-impose Trump era sanctions on their officials. pic.twitter.com/syxLXARVRt
— Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) January 9, 2025
Supporters say this bill is “important and urgent” as the ICC issued warrants in November for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) argued for the legislation, saying “since the horrific Hamas attack of October 7, Israel has been engaged in a just and moral battle against aggression from Iran and its terrorist proxies, which continue to hold hostages, including Americans, in brutal captivity. The ICC’s outrageous action against Israel — the first against a democratic country — sets a dangerous precedent that the Court may again arbitrarily expand its jurisdiction to prosecute Western nations with robust judicial systems like Israel.”
Provisions of the legislation include:
Finding that the ICC’s actions against Israel are “illegitimate and baseless” and “create a damaging precedent that threatens the United States, Israel, and all United States partners who have not submitted to the ICC’s jurisdiction.”
Requiring the president to impose sanctions if the ICC is “engaging in any attempt to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected persons.”
Imposing sanctions only on those persons that have “directly engaged in or otherwise aided any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute a protected person.” Sanctions are further imposed on anyone who materially supports such efforts. The bill does not sanction the ICC itself. Sanctions include an assets freeze and visa ban. Immediate family members of sanctioned individuals are also subject to the visa ban.
Providing the president flexibility to waive sanctions on a case-by-case basis if the waiver is determined to be vital to the national security interests of the United States.
