Skip to main content
H.R. 3342 115th Congress House

Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act

Official title: An act to impose sanctions with respect to foreign persons that are responsible for using civilians as human shields, and for other purposes.

Introduced: July 28, 2017 See on congress.gov
International Affairs Congressional oversightForeign propertyHuman rightsImmigration status and procedures
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
International law and treatiesMiddle EastPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsSanctionsTerrorismUnited NationsVisas and passportsWar and emergency powersWar crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
Sign in to write a letter

Free account. One morning email at most, only on days something moved. Already have one? Sign in.

 Everywhere this bill has been 26 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 21, 2018
Became Public Law No: 115-348.
Dec 21, 2018
Signed by President.
Dec 13, 2018
Presented to President.
Dec 11, 2018
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Dec 11, 2018
On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection. (text: CR H10078-10079)
Dec 11, 2018
Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.(text: CR H10078-10079)
Dec 11, 2018
Mr. Royce (CA) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's Table and agree to the Senate amendments. (consideration: CR H10078-10079)
Oct 12, 2018
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Oct 11, 2018
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
Oct 11, 2018
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Unanimous Consent.
Oct 11, 2018
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6881)
Oct 11, 2018
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Oct 26, 2017
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Oct 25, 2017
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Oct 25, 2017
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8178-8179)
Oct 25, 2017
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8178-8179)
Oct 25, 2017
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3342.
Oct 25, 2017
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8178-8183)
Oct 25, 2017
Mr. Royce (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Oct 24, 2017
Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
Oct 24, 2017
Reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs. H. Rept. 115-367, Part I.
Oct 24, 2017
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 269.
Sep 28, 2017
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Sep 28, 2017
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jul 20, 2017
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 20, 2017
Introduced in House
 Amendments to this bill 4

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

2 agreed to 2 with no recorded outcome

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
SAMDT 4,059 – To amend the title. Agreed to Oct 11, 2018
SAMDT 4,058 – In the nature of a substitute. Agreed to Oct 11, 2018
SAMDT 4,047 – To amend the title. No recorded outcome Oct 5, 2018
SAMDT 4,046 – In the nature of a substitute. No recorded outcome Oct 5, 2018
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action December 21, 2018

Became Public Law No: 115-348.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act

(Sec. 2) This bill states that it shall be U.S. policy to condemn the use of innocent civilians as human shields.

(Sec. 3) The President shall submit to Congress within one year, and annually thereafter, a list of:

  • each foreign person that is a member of Hizballah or Hamas or is knowingly acting on behalf of Hizballah or Hamas and knowingly directs the use of civilians protected by the law of war to shield military objectives from attack, and
  • each foreign person or agency or instrumentality of a foreign state that knowingly and materially directs or supports any such act.

The President shall impose U.S.-based property-blocking and visa sanctions, including revocation of existing visas, against a listed person, entity, or instrumentality.

The President is urged to submit to Congress within one year, and annually thereafter, a list of each foreign person or entity that knowingly directs the use of civilians protected by the law of war to shield military objectives from attack, excluding those foreign persons included in the most recent mandatory sanctions list.

(Sec. 5) This bill shall cease to be effective on December 31, 2023.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 3257 Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act
 Bill text 7 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 18
All 18 Democratic 7 Republican 4
D
Gottheimer, Josh
New Jersey · Oct 24, 2017
 D
Meng, Grace
New York · Oct 24, 2017
 R
Bacon, Don
Nebraska · Oct 23, 2017
ROS-LEHTINEN, ILEANA
· Oct 23, 2017
Zeldin, Lee
· Oct 3, 2017
DeSantis, Ron
· Sep 28, 2017
 D
Sherman, Brad
California · Sep 28, 2017
 R
Wilson, Joe
South Carolina · Sep 28, 2017
 D
Schneider, Bradley Scott
Illinois · Sep 27, 2017
 R
Stefanik, Elise M.
New York · Sep 25, 2017
Meehan, Patrick
· Sep 5, 2017
 R
Weber, Randy K. Sr.
Texas · Sep 5, 2017
Garrett, Thomas
· Jul 28, 2017
 D
Rosen, Jacky
Nevada · Jul 28, 2017
 D
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Florida · Jul 28, 2017
Roskam, Peter
· Jul 20, 2017
ROYCE, ED
· Jul 20, 2017
 D
Suozzi, Thomas R.
New York · Jul 20, 2017
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3342: Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-3342/
MLA
"H.R. 3342: Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-3342/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3342, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-3342/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3342: Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-3342/)
Report a problem