Terrorist Prosecution Act of 1985
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Terrorist Prosecution Act of 1985 - Amends the Federal criminal code to make it an offense to commit or attempt to commit murder or manslaughter against any U.S. national abroad, or conspire to do so. (Murder is punishable by capital punishment, a life sentence, or for any term of years and voluntary manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment up to ten years and involuntary manslaughter by imprisonment up to three years and/or a fine up to $1,000.)
Makes it an offense to (or to attempt to) assault, wound, strike, imprison, endanger, or make any other violent attack upon the person or liberty of any U.S. national in any foreign country (or make violent attack on his or her business premises, private accommodation or means of transport). Provides for a fine of not more than $5,000 and/or imprisonment for not more than three years. Increases the fine to $10,000 and/or imprisonment to ten years if a deadly or dangerous weapon is used.
Makes it an offense to conspire, outside the United States, to murder any U.S. national within the United States.
Prohibits an indictment under this Act without the written approval of the Attorney General or his designee.
Senate incorporated this measure (as passed the Senate) in H.R. 4151 as an amendment.
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1429: Terrorist Prosecution Act of 1985. 99th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-1429/
"S. 1429: Terrorist Prosecution Act of 1985." 99th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-1429/.
S. 1429, 99th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-1429/.
[S. 1429: Terrorist Prosecution Act of 1985](https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-1429/)