S. 493 — Stop the ICC Act

This section states seven congressional findings concerning (1) annual prohibitions since 2014, including in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-47), on using economic support funds for the Palestinian Authority if it initiates or supports an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation of Israeli nationals for alleged crimes against Palestinians; (2) the Palestinian Authority's initiation of such an ICC investigation on May 22, 2018; (3) the ICC referral details from Palestine; (4) the ICC's opening of an investigation into the Situation in Palestine in 2021; (5) the ICC chief prosecutor's application on May 20, 2024, for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant; and (6)-(7) the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I's rejection of Israel's challenges and issuance of those arrest warrants on November 21, 2024.

This section prohibits (1) cooperation by any U.S. official with the International Criminal Court (ICC) on any matter; (2) use of Economic Support Fund (ESF) assistance—provided under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.)—to support the Palestinian Authority; and (3) use of any federal funds for the ICC or to support any ICC activity (e.g., investigations, prosecutions, trials, or enforcement of rulings). It further declares that specified ICC actions against Israeli officials fulfill a statutory condition under section 7041(k)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-47), to prohibit ESF assistance for the Palestinian Authority.