Virginia Foxx: “I thank my colleague from California for yielding. I want to thank especially the gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Raskin…”

“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.…”