The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) due to its move to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials on charges of war crimes in Gaza. The vote passed with a majority of 247 to 155, with nearly all Republicans and some Democrats in support. However, it is unlikely that the bill will receive a vote in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Although President Joe Biden described the ICC's actions as "atrocious," his administration stated in a Monday announcement that it "strongly opposes" the sanctions bill against the court. The Biden administration expressed "deep concern" over the ICC prosecutor's reckless push to request arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials, but it also opposes sanctioning the ICC or its staff, judges, or those who assist in its work.
Republicans in Congress, in particular, vented their anger at the ICC's actions, leading to Tuesday's House vote on the sanctions legislation introduced by Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas. Some Democrats also joined in condemning the court, with Democratic Representative Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey presenting a letter signed by twenty members from both parties urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to impose sanctions against the ICC.
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that he also opposes the ICC's decision but mentioned that he cannot support the bill that "will die upon reaching the U.S. Senate." Nevertheless, Jeffries believes there is room for bipartisan legislation on this issue.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Los Angeles, called the ICC's actions "shameful" and "unreasonable" in a press conference held on Tuesday morning before the vote. Johnson added, "The ICC must be punished for this action. We cannot allow this to continue. If the ICC is allowed to pursue leaders of countries who disagree with their actions, why shouldn’t they pursue America?"
