Sponsor
Mike Lee
Senator · R-UT
Senator · R-UT
The bill clarifies and reinforces a U.S. stance protecting sovereignty and control over UN premises while using diplomacy (not new domestic law) to limit ICC reach—improving definitional clarity for agencies but risking diplomatic friction and reduced cooperation with international justice partners.
Federal negotiators and U.S. diplomatic missions: the bill directs U.S. negotiators to assert U.S. control over UN facilities on U.S. soil and underscores the Headquarters Agreement and UN Charter as the basis for continued U.S. participation in the UN, supporting stable diplomatic engagement and control of premises.
U.S. persons and taxpayers: the bill affirms that the International Criminal Court (ICC) lacks jurisdiction over U.S. territory and persons, reassuring those concerned about foreign prosecutions of U.S. nationals.
Federal and state agencies and courts: the bill provides clearer, consistent definitions of 'International Criminal Court,' 'Rome Statute,' and the 'United Nations Headquarters Agreement,' reducing legal ambiguity when agencies and courts interpret obligations or take actions related to the ICC and the UN headquarters.
U.S. diplomacy and international cooperation: the bill's stance distinguishing U.S. treatment of the ICC while emphasizing UN headquarters relations could strain relations with the UN and ICC-supporting countries, complicating broader diplomacy and cooperation.
International legal cooperation and victims of international crimes: the bill's limits on ICC access and clearer refusal of ICC jurisdiction may reduce practical cooperation between U.S.-based international institutions and the ICC, hindering coordination on investigations or prosecutions of international crimes.
Taxpayers and stakeholders following U.S. policy: many of the bill's statements are non‑binding findings that do not change U.S. law, so the measure may primarily signal policy preferences rather than produce enforceable changes and could complicate future cooperation with the ICC by hardening positions.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Directs the U.S. Ambassador to the UN to seek a supplemental agreement barring the ICC from using UN facilities in the United States.
Official title: Prevent use of United Nations facilities located in the United States by the ICC, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 4, 2025 by Mike Lee · Last progress March 4, 2025
Requires the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to begin negotiations with the UN within 30 days after the opening of the 80th UN General Assembly session to seek a supplemental agreement that would bar the International Criminal Court (ICC) from hosting, leasing, or using UN facilities located in the United States. The measure is a diplomatic directive only — it directs the Ambassador to seek the change but does not provide funding, impose penalties, or change U.S. domestic law. The text defines key terms by reference to existing U.S. law and cites findings about U.S.-UN relations, the UN Headquarters Agreement, and the ICC's current presence at UN headquarters in New York. It is a short, focused bill that mandates a negotiation effort rather than creating new sanctions or programmatic authorities.