# Plain Language Summary: Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act

This bill would punish anyone who helps the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigate or prosecute Americans and their allies. If the ICC tries to investigate, arrest, or prosecute what the bill calls "protected persons"—which includes U.S. military members, government officials, and citizens, plus military members and officials from NATO countries and certain U.S. allies—the President would have 60 days to impose sanctions on anyone involved in those efforts.

The sanctions would be severe. The U.S. government would freeze any bank accounts, investments, or property that targeted individuals have in America or that U.S. companies control. These individuals would also be banned from entering the United States, and any existing visas would be immediately revoked. The bill extends these same property-freezing sanctions to the immediate family members (spouses, parents, siblings, and adult children) of anyone sanctioned, even though family members themselves may not have done anything wrong.

Anyone who violates these sanctions—such as a bank that processes a transaction for a sanctioned person—could face criminal penalties. The President would need to notify Congress within 10 days of imposing any sanctions, explaining who was targeted and why. The sanctions could only be lifted if the President certifies that the ICC has completely stopped all investigations and prosecutions of protected persons.

In essence, this bill is designed to shield Americans and allies from ICC prosecution by punishing ICC officials and staff members who participate in such cases. It reflects a longstanding U.S. position that American citizens should not be subject to international courts, though it goes further by also protecting allied nations' personnel.

Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act

Roy, Chip

Illegitimate Court Counteraction ActThis bill imposes sanctions against foreign persons (individuals and entities) who assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting certain individuals.The bill categorizes as protected persons (1) any U.S.&nbsp;individual, U.S. entity, or person in the United States, unless the United States is a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC and provides formal consent to ICC jurisdiction; and (2) any foreign person that is a citizen or lawful resident of a U.S. ally that is not a state party to the Rome Statute or has not consented to ICC jurisdiction.If the ICC attempts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against the foreign persons that engaged in or materially assisted in such actions, as well as against foreign persons owned by, controlled by, or acting on behalf of such foreign persons. The President must also apply visa-blocking sanctions to the immediate family members of those sanctioned.Upon enactment, the bill rescinds all funds appropriated for the ICC and prohibits the subsequent use of appropriated funds for the ICC.