H.R. 1778: Justice for Imprisoned Americans Overseas Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-04-26 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-04-26 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Justice for Imprisoned Americans Overseas Act of 2013

Plain summary

Justice for Imprisoned Americans Overseas Act of 2013 or Jacob's Law of 2013 - Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to include in the Foreign Service professional development program training to protect the rights of U.S. citizens in foreign custody. Directs the Secretary of State to submit a semiannnual report to Congress for five years that identifies: (1) U.S. citizens imprisoned in foreign countries whose fundamental due process and human rights are being violated, (2) the due process and human rights violations that are being committed against such U.S. citizens, and (3) the government officials who are responsible for such violations or who are not fulfilling their official responsibility to protect such rights. Prohibits the Secretary of State from issuing any visa to, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) from permitting entry to the United States of, any such identified official and his or her immediate family members. Makes such ban permanent if an identified U.S. citizen dies while in foreign custody. Prohibits foreign assistance from being provided to an agency or other entity of a foreign government that is responsible for the violation of, or is failing to protect, the fundamental due process or human rights of an imprisoned U.S. citizen.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Justice for Imprisoned Americans Overseas Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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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: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] reported raising $797,217 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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)

Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr1778.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr1778 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113