Genocide Convention Implementation Act

Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987

Long title	A bill to implement the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide
Nicknames	Proxmire Act
Enacted by	the 100th United States Congress
Citations
Public law	Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 100–606
Statutes at Large	102 Stat. 3045
Codification
Titles amended	18
U.S.C. sections created	18 U.S.C. § 1091
Legislative history
Introduced in the Senate as S. 1851 by Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) on November 5, 1987 Committee consideration by Senate Judiciary Passed the Senate on October 14, 1988 (voice vote) Passed the House on October 19, 1988 (voice vote) Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 4, 1988

The Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (Proxmire Act) amended the Federal criminal code to establish the criminal offense of genocide (specified acts committed with the specific intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group). It provides for penalties to be imposed upon anyone who commits or attempts to commit any of such acts (a fine of $1,000,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 20 years, and life imprisonment if group members are killed). It also provides for criminal penalties (a fine of $500,000 and/or imprisonment for up to five years) for directly and publicly inciting an act of genocide.

The law states that it shall not be construed to: (1) preclude the application of State or local laws to the conduct proscribed; or (2) create any substantive or procedural right enforceable by law by any party in any proceeding.

See also

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide

External links

18 U.S. Code § 1091 - Genocide, Legal Information Institute

Remarks on Signing the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (the Proxmire Act) in Chicago, Illinois, Ronald Reagan, November 4, 1988