Patrick Leahy: “4 years ago, I worked with Senators Sessions and DeWine to pass the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, MEJA…”

“4 years ago, I worked with Senators Sessions and DeWine to pass the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, MEJA, which established Federal jurisdiction over crimes committed by civilians employed by, or accompanying, our military overseas. The Sessions-Schumer amendment further extends the jurisdictional authority we created in MEJA by closing a possible jurisdictional gap that could allow persons who commit crimes while accompanying our military overseas to escape justice. I support this amendment, and am pleased that the Senate has adopted it today. In addition, I thank the sponsors for accepting my addition to their amendment, which closes a similar jurisdictional loophole in Federal law. Attorney General Ashcroft referred to this loophole last week, during his annual appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, while attempting to defend the Administration's position on torture. Interestingly, this loophole was created by legislative language that was proposed by the Department of Justice as a means of broadening, not shrinking, Federal criminal jurisdiction.”