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

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

112th Congress · introduced 2012-04-19 · International Affairs · Latest: Became Public Law No: 112-283.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2012-04-19 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 112-283. (final step reached)
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Department of State Rewards Program Update and Technical Corrections Act of 2012

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on November 13, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Department of State Rewards Program Update and Technical Corrections Act of 2012 - (Sec. 2) 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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Department of State Rewards Program Update and Technical Corrections Act of 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · 8 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Boozman (R-AR), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

Agencies named in this bill

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No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-s2318 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112