S. 2318: Department of State Rewards Program Update and Technical Corrections Act of 2012

112th Congress

A bill to authorize the Secretary of State to pay a reward to combat transnational organized crime and for information concerning foreign nationals wanted by international criminal tribunals, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. John Kerry — D — MA

Expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of State rewards program should be expanded to: (1) address the threat to U.S. interests from transnational criminal activity, such as intellectual property rights piracy, money laundering, trafficking in persons, arms trafficking, and cyber crime; and (2) target individuals indicted by international, hybrid, or mixed tribunals for genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity. (Sec. 3) Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to include in the program's purpose the prevention of acts of transnational organized crime and violations of international humanitarian law. Authorizes the Secretary of State to issue rewards for information leading to: (1) the arrest or conviction in any country of any individual for participating in, primarily outside the United States, transnational organized crime; (2) the arrest or conviction in any country of any individual conspiring to participate in or attempting to participate in transnational organized crime; or (3) the arrest or conviction in any country, or the transfer to or conviction by an international criminal tribunal, of any foreign national accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. Directs the Secretary to notify Congress at least 15 days before announcing a reward for a foreign national accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. (Sec. 4) Eliminates program references to the reward for the capture or death of Osama bin Laden. (Sec. 5) States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing the use of activity precluded under the American Servicemembers' Protection Act of 2002. (Sec. 6) States that the Secretary shall use amounts available to the Department's Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Services account to pay rewards authorized pursuant to this Act and to carry out other related activities.

View the full vote history of this bill on GovTrack.us.