Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire and the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, addressed the Senate floor to voice her opposition to a Republican-led bill proposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). Senator Shaheen emphasized her efforts to achieve a bipartisan solution that would hold the ICC accountable for its actions against Israeli officials.
Senator Shaheen expressed concerns about the broader implications of the proposed legislation. She stated, “The way this bill is drafted, sanctioning the ICC will not get them to withdraw the arrest warrants for Israeli officials. It could actually have the opposite effect, hardening the court’s position.” She highlighted that such sweeping sanctions might extend beyond Israel and affect global security interests.
The potential impact on U.S. businesses was also noted by Senator Shaheen. “The bill could also potentially target subsidiaries of major U.S. companies like Microsoft for providing technical services to the ICC,” she said, pointing out that these services may have been provided before this legislation was introduced.
Moreover, Senator Shaheen raised concerns about targeting allies and their citizens who work at or support the ICC. She mentioned countries such as “the Netherlands, as well as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan,” which are significant donors to the ICC.
In her remarks, Senator Shaheen acknowledged negotiations with Senator Cotton but found that an agreement addressing specific concerns with respect to the ICC had not been reached. As a result, she announced her intention to vote against H.R. 23 and urged her colleagues to do likewise.
Shaheen concluded by emphasizing that alliances with other nations are vital assets for America’s strength and safety: “These alliances are one of America’s greatest assets.”
